Javon Francis recalled to team Jamaica for Penn Relays
World Championships 4×400-metre silver medallist Javon Francis has been named in a 21-member squad to compete for Jamaica at the Penn Relays from April 23-25. Fresh off a new season’s best of 45.50 seconds at the UTech Classics, Francis will compete in the USA versus the World 4x400m alongside Javere Bell,Ricardo Chambers, Allodin Fothergill and Rusheen McDonald, who completes the squad.
The young 400m prospect will be competing for Jamaica at a senior level for the first time since anchoring the silver medal-winning 4x400m team in the 2013 World Championships in Moscow. Francis missed out on the latter part of last season due to injury and as such was unable to represent Jamaica at the 2014 World Relays. He is looking forward to returning to the track for Jamaica.
“Honestly, I am elated to be back representing Jamaica. It has been a long, tedious road back from the injury I suffered at the end of last season. I missed out on the World Relays and the Penn Relays, so this time I just want to use the Penn Relays to prepare for the World Relays because I do intend to bring home a medal,” said Francis.
Former world record holder Asafa Powell is also set to compete in the 4x100m relays and is expected to be joined by former MVP teammates Nesta Carter and Michael Frater. Kaliese Spencer and Stephanie McPherson are also named to the team, which will also see the return of Olympic silver medallist Sherone Simpson, Kerron Stewart and Shericka Williams.
Jamaica’s 4x100m title defence will rest with joint 2008 Olympic silver medal winners Simpson and Stewart, who are both selected for the 4x100m and 4x200m squads, as is
Commonwealth Games 100m and 200m finalist Schillonie Calvert. The 4x100m women’s team will be completed by Natasha Morrison, while Shericka Williams and Anastacia LeRoy complete the 4x200m squad.
The men’s 4x200m team will feature the likes of IAAF World Relays record-setting team members Nickel Ashmeade and Jermaine Brown, who will be joined by Jason Livermore of Akan Track Club and Rasheed Dwyer.
In the USA Versus the World women’s 4x400m race, Jamaica is expected to field a strong team featuring Spencer, McPherson, Williams and LeRoy, along with Commonwealth Games 400m bronze medallist Christine Day.
Maurice Wilson and Jermaine Shand are expected to be the coaches who will accompany the 21-member team.
