MVP coach Stephen Francis and his top athlete, former world 100m record holder Asafa Powell. - file

Ten members of the MVP Track club are to leave the island next week Friday, February 20, on a two-week trip to Australia as some key members of the club prepare for the upcoming outdoor season that includes the IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany, August 15-23.

While in Australia the athletes will participate in two meets - February 28 in Sydney and on March 5 in Melbourne.

President of the club Bruce James confirmed yesterday that former world record holder Asafa Powell, Nesta Carter, Michael Frater, Ainsley Waugh, as well as Barbadians Andrew Hinds and Willan Louis will travel to the land down under with Bridgitte Foster-Hylton, Melaine Walker, Nadia Cunningham and Sherika Williams.

individual events

While there they will participate in individual events as well as relays, James said. Powell, Carter and Frater were members of the 4 x 100 metre relay team that set a world record 37.10 seconds at the Beijing Olympics in China last year August. Triple Olympic medalist Usain Bolt was the other member of that team.

Olympic 100-metre champion Shelly-Ann Fraser and Olympic 100-metre silver medalist Sherone Simpson will not make the trip, James said. Since the Olympics last year, Fraser became a full-time student at the University of Technology (UTech) where the MVP Club is based, and her school commitments ruled her out of the trip.

rehabilitating

Meanwhile Simpson, the 2006 Commonwealth Games 200-metre champion and Beijing Olympics 100-metre silver medalist is still rehabilitating from knee surgery.

She underwent surgery shortly after returning home from the Olympics last year.