Francis’ emerging group of Jamaican talent

The list of star names in the Jamaican group of renowned coach Stephen Francis is an impressive roll call of the Caribbean Island’s athletics power.

Francis’ group boasts world class campaigners like women’s World 100m sprint hurdles silver medallist Brigitte Foster, and high jumper, Germaine Mason who took fourth place in Paris. Both athletes were also crowned Pan American Games champions last summer, and currently hold number two spots in their respective disciplines in the IAAF World Rankings.

Add to these two names, the talented 21 year old Asafa Powell, who is a 10.02 sprinter, and it is understandable that Francis has developed an impressive coaching reputation.

Francis, pioneered international coaching in Jamaica, braving the critics that said it would be impossible to train an athlete to world class from the island, where first world training facilities were negligible. However, now his athletes, charged by his own enthusiasm, self-motivation and sheer hard work are the talk of the circuit.

Francis has now confirmed that his group has recently signed with Guyanese born, California based athletes’ representative Cubie Seegobin. ‘’With the group’s former agent no longer available to us, we had to take a quick decision with the indoor season approaching, Seegobin was a natural fit, his experience with top level athletes being a major plus,” confirmed Francis.
 
Seegobin, who currently also has St. Kitt’s World 100m champion Kim Collins, and Jamaica’s  Commonwealth 400m gold medallist Michael Blackwood on his books, has a long management history to his credit which includes former stars such as Olympic champions Charles Austin (1996 High Jump) and Benita Fitzgerald-Brown (1984 women’s sprint hurdles).

click here for related story - 28 November 2003