Coach’s appointment being questioned

Concerns are being raised in local sporting circles over the apparent appointment of a Kittian as coach to the two athletes selected to represent St Vincent and the Grenadines in the London 2012 Summer Olympics,{{more}} which gets going later this month.

Even though Team Athletics SVG and the National Olympic Committee have not formally named the two athletes and the coach, SEARCHLIGHT has been reliably informed that Kineke Alexander and Courtney Williams will be the two athletes and Kittian Fitzroy Eric Francis, the Coach.

Alexander and Williams, both based in the USA, are on Olympic solidarity scholarships, and will contest the 400 m and sprints, respectively.

The main bones of contention are that Team Athletics SVG has side-stepped local coaches and there are concerns about Francis’ reputation.

In 2004, Francis founded the Texas-based Elite Performance Track Club, of which Alexander and Williams are members.

Francis was born in St Croix, the United States Virgin Islands, but moved to St Kitts at a tender age.

A source in St Kitts confirmed to SEARCHLIGHT last Monday that Francis is known as an “outspoken” individual which often gets him into hot water with sports officials there.

The source, however, praised Francis as one of St Kitts’ most qualified Track and Field coaches, and noted that he is the holder of a degree in Sports Medicine.

Francis is credited with the rise of St Kitts’ top female sprint athlete Tameka Williams, the source added.

Apart from Alexander and Williams, St Vincent and the Grenadines will be represented by swimmer Tolga Ackayli, with Niesha Alexander as the Coach.

SEARCHLIGHT has also learnt that Jacintha Ballantyne is the Chief of Mission and Leroy Llewellyn, the Team Manager.