Stephen ‘Franno’ Francis proved Caribbean greatness doesn’t need to leave home

Vincent Stephen ‘Franno’ Francis, co-founder and Technical Director of the MVP Track & Field Club, died late on Saturday 4 July 2026 — just one day after celebrating his 64th birthday. MVP confirmed he had been receiving hospital treatment in the days prior to his passing, with the club having requested privacy regarding his condition earlier that week.

Francis co-founded MVP — Maximising Velocity & Power — in Kingston in September 1999, basing the programme at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech).

Holding a BSc in Management Studies from the University of the West Indies and an MBA in Finance from the University of Michigan, he walked away from a career in finance to dedicate his life to coaching — a decision that would reshape the sport globally.

Under his guidance, MVP athletes accumulated more than 28 Olympic medals and 56 World Championship medals.

His roster read like a who’s who of sprint royalty: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Asafa Powell, Shericka Jackson, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Melaine Walker, Sherone Simpson, Kishane Thompson and the Clayton twins, Tia and Tina. Powell broke the 100m world record twice under Francis, while Thompson-Herah swept the 100m and 200m golds at both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.

Tributes poured in from across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, including from Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Opposition Leader Mark Golding, Sports Minister Olivia Grange, and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley. Francis was awarded the Order of Jamaica in 2017 for his outstanding contribution to track and field.

• Francis died late Saturday 4 July 2026, one day after his 64th birthday • MVP confirmed he had been receiving hospital treatment in the days before his death • He co-founded MVP Track & Field Club in Kingston in September 1999, based at UTech • He held an MBA in Finance from the University of Michigan but left finance for coaching • MVP athletes won more than 28 Olympic medals and 56 World Championship medals under his guidance • Key athletes included Fraser-Pryce, Thompson-Herah, Powell, Jackson, Kishane Thompson and the Clayton twins • Asafa Powell broke the 100m world record twice under Francis (9.77 in 2005, 9.74 in 2007) • Francis was awarded the Order of Jamaica in 2017 • Tributes came from Holness, Golding, Grange, Mottley and World Athletics

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