Track and field has been the British Virgin Islands most successful sport and 1970 was perhaps the turning point of the spot in territory. 

The first international team to visit the territory came from St. Thomas, U. S. Virgin Islands in May, 1970. In September 1970, the BVI Amateur Athletics Association was founded. Two months later in November that same year, the first BVI team competed in an international competition in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. 

The BVI Amateur Athletics Association became affiliated to the International Association of Athletic Federations—formerly the International Amateur Athletics Federation—in March 1971. 

Track and Field is the only BVI sport to win medals all levels of the Central American and Caribbean region and has represented the BVI at every Olympics since 1984.