Inside MVP

June 29, 2006: We are pleased to advise that 17 members of the MVP Track & Field Club are now in Europe at a new and improved Italian training base. One of the primary improvements should be the food options. The team which includes 2 coaches (Franno and Paul) and 2 masseurs (Watson and Gavin) are there to improve on what has been so far an exciting and rewarding season for MVP. This contingent is larger than the 2005 group which at its peak was 11 members.

We will endeavour to update this page and the website in general every two days with whatever news we get from the camp. Of course most visitors to our website will have ready access to the information on the results of the athletes at the various meets. What we hope to place here is the inside information that we receive directly from the athletes and coaches both before and after competition and if the BlackBerry's are working even during the meets.

The schedule will be updated on the MVP Schedule page as usual.

One advantage of managing this website ourselves is the ability to update it at will. Of course since not one of us has any training in web design it is not quite as impressive as espn.com. What we hope though is that most of our visitors will come for the content and perhaps one day we will evolve on the cosmetic side as well.

July 2nd, 2006: With what was described as the best Jamaican World Cup Football party in Italy, the vibe in the MVP camp is very positive. Franno of course is all smiles as France beat Brazil much to the shock of Asafa and Nesta. The Jamaican food, cooked right there at the Italian base, made the loss easier to swallow. Thanks in particular to Wire who we understand is the head cook. The facilities are meeting all needs and the weather is allowing for great training sessions.

July 3rd, 2006: When we include the 7 athletes selected to represent Jamaica at either the CAC Games and/or the NACAC Championships (see home page) the number of MVP athletes competing internationally for 2006 is now 20!!!! Well done to the athletes and coaching staff.

July 5th, 2006: Today is a big travel day for MVP. Nyoka, Jesse and Drummond leave Kingston for the Dominican Republic (NACAC under 23), Asafa, Brigitte, Frater, Sherone and Shericka leave Venice for Paris (Golden League), Ainsley and Kaliese go to Luzerne (permit meet), Little and Nesta go to Denmark. Big thanks to GlaxoSmithKline for sending all the Lucozade the MVP camp in Italy can drink.

July 6th, 2006: Another good day for MVP. Congratulations to Ainsley "Family" Waugh on a new personal best in the 100m of 10.15 (+0.8). Equally impressive was the fact that he came back 1 hour and 10 minutes later to run the 200m in 20.44 (-0.3) SB. He was 2nd in both races. Nesta Carter made a great start to his first ever European campaign by winning the 100m at the Arhus Games in Denmark. His 10.31 (-0.1) broke the 17 year old stadium record. Gregory Little, not to be out done, then breaks the 400 m hurdles stadium record and runs his SB 49.42.

July 8th, 2006: Paris; Shericka's 50.91 performance means she will improve on her 400m world ranking score to be released on Tuesday. Brigitte missed her SB by .01 of a second running 12.66 for 3rd. Sherone ran her 3rd ever sub 11 race importantly though it was her first 10 second race outside of Jamaica. Asafa broke the meeting record by running 9.85 (the 3rd fastest time in the world this year).  Michael came 5th in 10.17 and prepares for Lausanne.

July 10th, 2006: Michael Frater is now the MVP Football Champion as Italy won the Football World Cup. He is now in Lausanne getting ready for the 100m tommorow (Tuesday, July 11).  We hope he will run faster than he did last year at this meet (10.08, +1.8). We will be looking out for at least one Jamaican Flag in the Swiss crowd.

July 11th, 2006: The health and well-being of our athletes are paramount in determining when and where they will compete. Good luck to Brigitte and Michael today in Lausanne. Today is also a travel day as Paul takes Ainsley, Kaliese, Nesta and Mario to Nuoro, Italy. The results; Brigitte ran her fastest time (12.49, +0.6) since her 2003 PR of (12.45, +1.3). Michael ran (10.09, +0.0) for 3rd. Rome on Friday here we come.

July 14th, 2006 Rome, Italy: Asafa, Wire, Brigitte and Sherone will all increase their world ranking points when the new scores are released on Tuesday, July 18th. Asafa will surpass the 1400 mark having completed his 19th sub 10 race. Shericka should enter the overall top 100 for the first time in her career with1285 points. Brigitte after a hectic 6 days and a big SB of 12.49, gets some much needed rest as she prepares for one of her favourite track meets, DN Galan in Stockholm. Brigitte has placed 2nd, 1st, 2nd and 2nd in Stockholm in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 respectively. Sherone with her first ever Golden League victory and 4th sub 11 race, will get ready for some 200m races now that she has proven that she is the fastest woman over 100m. Franno again demonstrated that it makes sense to stick to the plan! Congrats coach.

July 16th, 2006: Seven MVP athletes compete today in Lignano, Italy. Ainsley, Nesta, Forsythe, Ryan, Orlando and Winston all run in the 100m, while Kaliese runs the 400m hurdles. Ironman Ainsley will double and do the 200m as well. The MVP crowd support will be great as this track is quite close to MVP base in Italy. The only MVP member who will not be in attendance at this meet is Gregory Little who has been practising his Spainish in preparation for his 400m hurdle race in Madrid tomorrow (July 17th, 2006). Gregory hopes to increase his winning streak to 3 after his 49.62 victory in Belgium on July 14th, 2006. Key result: Kaliese wins in 55.62 making this her third 55.6 effort of the season.

July 19th, 2006: Liege, Belgium, Nesta continues to get closer to his PR set at GC Foster earlier this year (10.20, -1.6) with a second place (10.24, -0.7) effort. Family also ran 10.24 in the same final and placed third. These times were achieved after running 10.35 and 10.36 respectively into a -1.0 headwind in the same heat earlier. Apparently Nesta runs faster against the wind. Those who doubted the 10.20 are starting to pay attention. Must be a Manchester thing.

July 20th, 2006: Another big international travel day for MVP. Nyoka, Kim, Evon, McGregor, Drummond and Aundrae all leave Jamaica today on their way to Colombia for the Senior CAC Games. In Italy, Paul will take one group of athletes to Northern Italy while Franno prepares the rest for Stockholm on Tuesday.

July 24th, 2006: After a sharp 10.17 (-0.1) victory in Belgium on Saturday the 22nd, Ainsley has now joined all the European based MVP athletes in Stockholm. Of note he ran 10.23 (-0.6) 1 hour and 15 minutes earlier in his heat. All the doubling is paying off. He will only run the 200m in Stockholm. MVP will be well represented in the mens 100m however, as Nesta, Mario, Ryan and Winston all join Frater and Safa in this event. Shericka and Sherone will run in the 200m. Wire's aim is a sub 23 which will help her 400m. Brigitte remains focused on her 100m hurdles. Kaliese will be a spectator at this meet as they will not have the 400m hurdles for international athletes this year.

July 25th, 2006: Diamonds are forever!!! Asafa and Sherone made sure to do just enough to win diamonds this year while not making it too difficult for them to get diamonds at the 2007 DN Galan meet. They broke the stadium records by the narrowest of margins, .01 and .02 for the 100m and 200m respectively. Asafa now has 20 sub 10 races in his career, or as our Swiss based Jamaican friend would say 4 sub 9.90 races this year alone. Sherone now has an even more impressive non-Jamaican PR in the 200m with her strategically run 22.00 into a -0.3 wind. Brigitte maintained her excellent record in Stockholm of always finishing in the top 2, now five years in a row. Wire kept her promise of breaking 23 with a sensational 22.61 (+0.2), in winning the "B" race and placing 4th overall. Of note her time would have placed her second at this year's Commonwealth Games. Shericka is now the 12th fastest woman over 200m this year (10th fastest in the 400m). Franno do I hear switch or is there a big sub 50 in the making? As the team prepares to leave Stockholm our comments should be on London but I will wait until I get my first training report from London. Instead let me whisper to our regular visitors that barring any drama in London, the IAAF ranking for the mens 100m is going to be very interesting come Tuesday, August 1, 2006, which happens to be Jamaica's Emancipation Day. This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.

July 26th, 2006: The European arm of the team is safely in London with no luggage issues. Herbert has made the long jump final at CAC. Nyoka placed 7th in the 100m final. Aundrae was 9th in the Javelin. Gregory is training hard at Stadium East. Gavin is doing his best with Orlando and Winston. Safa needs a sub - 10 in London to move up in the 100m world ranking, not a sub 9.77.

July 28th, 2006: A family affair in London. It was WONDERFUL to see Germaine clear 2.31 m and equally great for him to spend so much time with his MVP family. When the IAAF world rankings are announced on Tuesday, August 1, 2006, Asafa will, on the heels of his 21st sub 10 race, be the number 1 ranked 100m runner in the world with in excess of 1430 world ranking points. Sherone now owns half of all the 100m times run at 11 seconds or faster this year as well as the 3 fastest 200m times for 2006. She moves up into the top 5 in the 100m and re-enters the world ranking of the 200m on Tuesday as well. These two moves will result in her highest ever position in the the overall world ranking. Shericka with a 200m PR and her second fastest 400m will have almost 1300 overall world ranking points and surely will enter the overall top 100 women on Tuesday. Have I done my numbers correctly? We will all find out soon. For now everyone is packing and looking forward to returning home for a welcome mid season break.

July 30th, 2006: Italy is nice, but in the summer time, Sweden is nice, but in the summer time, London is nice, but in the summer time, telling you that Jamaica is nice all the time. That is the general sentiment of the MVP team members who have now returned home. Welcome home team. The CAC team will rejoin us soon.

August 1st, 2006: Good to see that the MVP World Ranking Calculator is working well (see July 28th above). As expected Asafa is now IAAF World Ranked # 1 in the 100m with 1431 points, he is also 4th overall. Sherone is now ranked 5th in the 100m as predicted and 6th in 200m, her highest ranking yet in that event. She is also 24th overall her best yet. Shericka broke down the door of the overall ranking entering the top 100 at # 76 with exactly 1300 points. Ainsley has moved to # 15 in the 200m his best yet. Brigitte retains 2nd in the 100m hurdles and 17th overall and Michael moved up one to 7th in the 100m. Kaliese is world ranked in 2 events. Gregory is preparing to move up even further. The team continues training at Stadium East, even on a Jamaican public holiday like today. Why, because it is not a holiday in the rest of the world. Congrats to all our World Ranked athletes (click on MVP Olympic Athletes for more on world rankings).

August 6th, 2006: Jamaica's Independence Day. While some of our athletes, coaches and masseurs (better safe than sorry) are enjoying bmobile's reggae sunsplash just outside of Ochi, Paul Francis confirmed his safe arrival in Beijing, China with Kaliese for the IAAF World Junior Championships. We are also today happy to announce that our Head Coach Stephen Francis is to be honoured by the country of his birth Jamaica by way of the Order of Distinction, Officer Class for his service to Athletics. Congratulations V. Stephen Francis, O.D.

August 11th, 2006: Travel plans are going to affect the updating of this website for the next two weeks. However, in the MVP track world a lot will be happening during that time. So I have decided to let you know what we expect and then on August 25th (after Brussels) do a general update. First with the new travel situation the team of eleven will now leave Jamaica for Europe on August 12th. We checked and so far spikes are still allowed in hand luggage. On Tuesday, August 15th Asafa Powell should be declared as the IAAF's OVERALL number 1 athlete in the world, yes without running another step (he has done enough)!After the Zurich and Monaco weekend Sherone Simpson with a 100m victory at either meet should be the number 1 ranked 100m woman in the World by the IAAF, a first for her. Kaliese good luck in Beijing in both the 400m hurdles and 4X4. Training at home was great and we expect bigger and better things from everyone.

August 12th, 2006: I found readily available internet access and so will finish updating the MVP August & September competition schedule today. Franno, getting through Norman Manley Airport yesterday was tough so get the team there extra early despite the celebrations. Tell Frater, Family, Nesta, Asafa, Gregory, Mario, Shericka, Sherone, Brigitte and Watson that while electronics are allowed you will be lucky to get your own saliva on board, no liquids! I even had to put back the Jerk Sauce I wanted to buy in the departure lounge.

August 25th, 2006: Per the above posting (August 11th)  a lot would be happening in the MVP world between then and now so here goes. Beginning with our first World Junior Champion Kaliese Spencer, who is now the 4th fastest junior ever at 400m hurdles while improving her Jamaican National Junior record to 55.11 seconds. Five races in five days, good show. You are now back in Jamaica and getting ready for your 2nd year at University. Paul Francis we know this was a team effort there in Beijing congrats to you as well. Right on schedule Asafa was declared the IAAF's # 1 overall athlete. He followed this with another 100m PR in Zurich and a dramatic record 10th sub 10 for this season in Brussels today, his 23rd ever. Sherone delivered as well with a victory in Zurich she is now the # 1 ranked 100m woman in the world. She followed that today with her 4th sub 11 for this year a +0.3,10.95. With this she may move into the IAAF's top 10 overall. Brigitte secured her 5th top 3 finish in the 5 Golden League meets this year. Shericka is now ranked 7th in the 400m her highest ever. Ainsley is 11th in the 200m his best yet. With one month left in our season, the next three weekends will have an impact on the final world rankings for 2006. Good luck team.

September 3rd, 2006: Beautiful Berlin: Brigitte very nice Golden League series with first once, second three times and third twice. Sherone, what dominance, 10.92, 0.0 wind, fabulous reaction time of 0.138 for your 5th sub 11 this season! Sherone is already at the top in the 100m world ranking and so now focuses on the overall world ranking where she should move up with 1379 points. Simply Sensational 4 wins out of 6 on the GL circuit with 2 second place finishes. Gloriously Golden performance by Asafa. 6 wins in the Golden League meetings, 11 sub 10 second races so far this season, 9.86 into a -0.5 wind (his fastest into a negative wind which is 2nd fastest into a negative wind in the hisory of track and field), 24 sub 10 races in 3 seasons of sub 10 running. This win further enhances his run at the IAAF athlete of the year award as he will top 1450 points when the new world rankings are announced on Tuesday, September 5, 2006.

September 9th, 2006: World Athletics Final: The first of our four members, at the WAF, on the track was Sherone. Her 22.22 +0.6 performance should lead her to the # 1 World Ranking in the 200m when the IAAF rankings are announced on Tuesday, September 12, 2006. Those of us in Jamaica look forward to the 1 hour highlight package on TVJ and TVJ sportsnetwork at 1pm today and tomorrow. Asafa was up next and he delivered sub 10 # 12 for this season. Prior to this year he had a total of 13 sub 10 races. With one 100m race left for the year we look forward to him closing the season with his highest ever OVERALL world ranking. Shericka, Brigitte and Sherone are on track tomorrow.

September 10th, 2006: World Athletics Final: Shericka started the MVP day 2 effort with a fine 50.44, her 2nd fastest time ever. This could push her into the top 5 of the 400m world ranking and the top 50 overall.  Brigitte's 12.66 came in one of the most competitive 100m hurdle races of the year. Sherone then ended the program with her 3rd sub 10.90 100m for the season. Her 10.89 -0.2 is also her 6th sub 11 for the year. With the men's and women's 100m Champions, MVP ended the WAF with two 1st place, two 3rd place and one fifth place finish. We now look forward to the IAAF World Cup next weekend where 5 of the 7 MVP athletes that were invited to represent the Americas will perform.

September 16th, 2006: Athens, World Cup in Athletics; Sherone ran 11.03 on this track in 2004 at the Olympics, she then ran 11.15 on this track in 2005 in winning her first ever Super Grand Prix race. Back to this track in 2006 and leaves with her 7th sub 11 for the year 10.97 (+0.1), her first World Cup victory and her second World Cup victory by way of anchoring the Americas team to a world leading 42.26 in the 4 X 100m. Asafa had a nice warm up beside one of his 3 world record tracks. Tomorrow Brigitte goes for the hurdles and Shericka leads off the 4X4.

September 17th, 2006: Athens continued... Happy Birthday Shericka!!! And what a lovely birthday gift, an IAAF World Cup in Athletics Gold Medal in the 4X4. the team broke 3:20 as well. Brigitte what a start leading to your first World Cup Gold Medal and improving your world ranking with a 12.67 into a -0.6 wind. Well done team, you are almost home.

September 19th, 2006: Goodbye Europe, Hello Tokyo. The last meet of the 2006 season will see three MVP athletes participating. With little impact left on the IAAF World Rankings (see MVP Olympic Athletes link), we expect to end the year with Jamaica's top ranked athletes in 5 different events. We now turn our focus to the new set of athletes that have recently joined the MVP team by way of becoming UTECH student-athletes. David Noel and Paul Francis are working hard to make sure everything will be in place academically and administratively for them as well as the returning members. Sometime next week we will post the complete list of new student-athletes right here at inside MVP.

September 24th, 2006: Japan: Disappointing false start result for Asafa, he will make up for it next year in Osaka. Sherone wins in 11.15 +0.8. Brigitte cruised.  Franno will have a lot to say when he gets home and we will try to post it here first. Come home team.

October 14th, 2006: Welcome to Jamrock. The MVP family welcomes, South African, Geraldine Pillay to Jamaica. Just in time for background work.

October 21st, 2006: Today we welcome our caribbean neighbour Darrel Brown to Jamaica and the MVP family.

October 27th, 2006: Wolmerians reunited. Welcome home to Wolmerians Aundre Edwards (8.07m, +0.5), Germaine Mason (2.34m) and Michael Frater (10.03 secs +1.6).  All are now here in Jamaica and with MVP preparing for the 2007 season.

November 10th, 2006: Franno, Asafa and Sherone (F.A.S.) left Jamaica this evening for Monaco where they will attend the 2006 World Athletics Gala in Monaco on 12 November hosted by the IAF. Asafa and Sherone are vying for three awards, Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year and Female Performance of the Year. Good luck to the F.A.S. crew.

November 13th, 2006: Welcome home to the IAAF Male Athlete of the Year, Asafa Powell, the twice nominated Sherone Simpson (Athlete and Performance of the year nominations) and my vote for the 2007 Coach of the year Stephen Francis, OD.
April 9, 2007: Congratulations to coach Linval Swaby and MVP thrower, Raymond Brown, on the double gold medal performance (Shot and Discus) at the 2007 Carifta Games. In particular the record breaking Shot Put performance of 18.27m. 14 centimetres to the Jamaican National Junior Record. Some will remember Linval also achieving double gold at Carifta in the Shot and Discus, 19 years ago in 1988, as a Wolmerian.

April 13, 2007: On the road again. The following team members left Jamaica today for Walnut, California where they will compete at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays: Kaliese (4X4), Melaine (4x4, 400mh), Nadia (4X4, 400m), Wire (100m, 4x1, 4x4), Brigitte (4X1), Sherone (4X1), Geraldine (4X1, 200m), Mason (HJ), Little (400mh), Winston (100m), Wellington (100m), Asafa (4x1), Frater (4x1), Darrel (4X1), Family (4X1).
More inside information soonish.......