The thanksgiving service for veteran track and field coach Stephen ‘Franno’ Francis will be held today at the National Indoor Sports Centre, Independence Park, beginning at 11 a.m.

Francis, founder and longtime head coach of the MVP Track Club, passed away on July 4, 2026, one day after celebrating his 64th birthday. He is remembered as one of Jamaica’s most influential and legacy‑defining coaches – a pioneer who proved that Jamaican athletes could become world- beaters while training at home.

Widely regarded as one of the world’s best track and field coaches, Francis shaped the careers of several of Jamaica’s greatest athletes, including former world record holder Asafa Powell, Shelly‑Ann Fraser‑Pryce, Elaine Thompson‑Herah, Shericka Jackson, and Michael Frater. At the time of his passing, he was also guiding a new generation of rising stars, among them Kishane Thompson, Tia Clayton, Tina Clayton, and Gary Card.