UTECH mourns the passing of legendary athletics coach, the Hon Vincent Stephen Francis, OJ

The University of Technology, Jamaica joins the nation in mourning the passing of the Honourable Vincent Stephen Francis, OJ, visionary coach and one of the principal architects of Jamaica’s emergence as the world’s sprint capital.

 Coach Francis passed away on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at the age of 64, leaving an extraordinary legacy of excellence that transcends medals, records and championships.

Affectionately known as “Franno,” Coach Francis embodied the philosophy by which he lived and worked: “Do it well, or not at all.” That unwavering commitment to excellence became the hallmark of a coaching career that transformed generations of athletes and elevated Jamaican track and field to unprecedented international prominence.

After leaving a promising career in finance to pursue athletics full-time, Coach Francis co-founded the Maximum Velocity and Power (MVP) Track and Field Club in 1999. Through his visionary leadership and innovative training methods, he demonstrated that Jamaican athletes could remain at home, train under Jamaican coaches and, with world-class preparation, become the very best in the world. His pioneering model reshaped the development of elite athletics in Jamaica and inspired sporting programmes throughout the Caribbean and beyond.

His remarkable eye for talent and uncompromising pursuit of excellence guided the careers of some of the greatest names in track and field, including former world record holder Asafa Powell and Olympic and World champions Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Brigitte Foster-Hylton, Sherone Simpson and Shericka Jackson, among many others. Under his stewardship, countless athletes achieved historic performances that cemented Jamaica’s standing as a dominant force in global sprinting.

For more than two decades, the University of Technology, Jamaica, has been honoured to serve as the home of the MVP Track and Field Club on its Papine Campus. The University’s athletic facilities became the training ground where excellence was cultivated daily and where generations of elite athletes prepared to represent Jamaica with distinction on the Olympic, World Championship and Commonwealth stages. Coach Francis’s presence enriched campus life and reinforced the University’s commitment to advancing sport, research and high performance.

In recognition of his exceptional contribution to national development through sport, the University conferred upon Coach Francis the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) in 2021.  In 2025 the Caribbean School of Sport Sciences celebrated his extraordinary achievements during the annual Caribbean Conference on Sport Sciences, recognising his enduring impact on coaching, athlete development and sporting excellence.

Paying tribute, President of the University of Technology, Jamaica, Dr. Kevin Brown, said, “The University of Technology, Jamaica has lost a cherished member of its family and Jamaica has lost one of its greatest nation builders. Coach Stephen Francis fundamentally changed what was possible for Jamaican athletics through vision, discipline, innovation and an uncompromising commitment to excellence. His work inspired generations of athletes to pursue greatness without leaving their homeland and demonstrated to the world the extraordinary talent that exists within Jamaica. His legacy will continue to inspire our students, our researchers, our coaches and every young Jamaican who believes that excellence can be achieved through dedication, discipline and purpose.”

The University extends its deepest condolences to Coach Francis’s family, the entire MVP Track and Field Club, the athletes whose lives he transformed, the Caribbean sporting community and all who mourn his passing.

The life and legacy of the Honourable Vincent Stephen Francis, OJ, will endure not only in the remarkable achievements of the champions he coached, but also in the enduring belief that Jamaican excellence, nurtured on Jamaican soil, can inspire the world.

May he rest in eternal peace.