Tweet

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica and the global athletics community have been plunged into mourning following the death of legendary track and field coach Stephen “Franno” Francis, the co-founder and technical director of MVP Track & Field Club.

Francis reportedly passed away in hospital late last night, just one day after his 64th birthday.

Only days earlier, MVP Track & Field Club confirmed that Francis was receiving medical care in hospital and asked the public to respect the privacy of his family and medical condition.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest sprint coaches in the world, Francis helped transform Jamaica into a global track and field powerhouse. His MVP system shaped the careers of some of the biggest names in athletics, including Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Shericka Jackson, Asafa Powell, Tajay Gayle, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter, Melaine Walker, Sherone Simpson, Kaliese Spencer and Brigitte Foster-Hylton.

In recent years, he also helped guide a new generation of Jamaican sprint talent, including Tina and Tia Clayton and Kishane Thompson.

Francis was celebrated for revolutionising Jamaican athletics by proving that world-class athletes could be discovered, trained and managed at home, without relying solely on the traditional United States collegiate pathway.

A brilliant analytical mind, Francis held a management studies degree from The University of the West Indies and an MBA in finance from the University of Michigan Business School. He later left the business world behind to build one of the most influential track clubs in modern athletics.

Through MVP, which he co-founded with his brother Paul Francis, Bruce James and David Noel, “Franno” became known for his sharp technical eye, data-driven approach and extraordinary ability to turn promising talent into Olympic and World Championship champions.

In 2017, the Government of Jamaica awarded him the Order of Jamaica for his outstanding contribution to sport and nation-building.

Stephen “Franno” Francis leaves behind a towering legacy — not only of medals and records, but of a Jamaican sprinting model that changed world athletics forever.