Francis’ legacy secured at UTech

Stephen Francis, OJ – whose coaching accomplishments place him among the world’s elite, having guided multiple Jamaican and Caribbean athletes to Olympic and World Championships medals – is set to be honoured by the University of Technology (UTech).

UTech’s leadership revealed to The Gleaner at Thursday’s wake for Francis that plans are already in motion to recognise the legendary work that emerged from the grass track beside the Alfred Sangster Auditorium.

According to UTech Pro Chancellor Ali McNab, the decision was straightforward, given Francis’ impact on the institution and Jamaican athletics. “We intend to honour him that way, we have already asked the architect to come up three different ideas and let us share it with his brother Paul (Francis) and look also to getting that funded,” McNab revealed.

UTech President Dr Kevin Brown added that the tribute would be a fitting acknowledgement of Francis’ stature. “It’s a huge loss for us because he was central to the programme but we will ensure that he is remembered in a significant way,” Dr Brown said, noting that the MVP Track Club will always have a home at UTech.

Athletes coached by Francis at the MVP Track Club amassed 56 World Championships medals and 28 Olympic medals, underscoring his unmatched influence across sprints, hurdles, jumps, and the shot put.

The naming of the track will serve as a permanent tribute to a coach whose reach extended far beyond training sessions, shaping dozens of athletes into global medallists.

Among those paying respects at Thursday’s wake was former 100m world record holder and two‑time World Championships bronze medallist Asafa Powell. “He believed in me way before I believed in myself, if he never believed in me, I would probably still be in country, so I am grateful for Franno,” Powell told The Gleaner.

Powell, who still holds the Guinness World Record for most sub‑10 clockings (97), recalled Francis’ lighter side. “I think I was able to bring out the jovial side of him and Franno was always making jokes,” he said.

Shericka Williams, 400m silver medallist at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2009 Berlin World Championships, said Francis’ guidance shaped her career. “I really do cherish all the memories that we shared together and I do hope that his legacy will continue to live on,” she said.

Long-time friend and colleague Henry Rolle, Bahamian coach and agent, highlighted Francis’ relentless pursuit of knowledge. “As smart as he was, Francis was always eager to find new methods. Franno spent his summers in courses,” Rolle revealed. “He would travel to Germany, Australia or wherever there was a class in human anatomy because he was just on a different level,” he added.

Throughout his career, Francis became one of Jamaica’s most respected coaches, strengthening the country’s reputation as a global sprinting powerhouse. Though he often challenged local administrators, Maurice Wilson – national technical leader at multiple global championships – noted that Francis’ focus was always on results. “The three world record teams, at one point in time when Donald Quarrie was the technical leader, there would be of course some disagreements, but over time we resolved that with victories (being the end result),” said Wilson, head of SprinTec Track Club.

Jamaica currently holds the men’s 4x100m world record of 36.84 seconds (2012 London Olympics) and the mixed 4x100m world record of 39.62 (World Relays, Botswana, May 2024).

Francis’ coaching philosophy – discipline, technical mastery, and uncompromising excellence – produced unrivalled global success. His legacy, built over decades, will now have a permanent home at UTech, a fitting tribute to one of Jamaica’s most influential figures in track and field.