J’can Charokee Young hires Grenadian Francique as coach
TWO-TIME World Athletics Championships relay silver medallist Charokee Young will be coached by former Grenadian quarter-miler Alleyne Francique, the athlete announced recently.
After teasing on her YouTube blog a few weeks ago about her next move, Young announced last week that she had moved her base from Texas to Columbia, South Carolina, where she will be coached by the former two-time World Indoor champion.
“I am really, really excited about the move,” said Young who was a semi-finalist in the women’s 400m at the recent World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
Both Young and Francique are former pupils of Texas A&M University Head Coach Pat Henry, who she said had made the recommendation for her to move to his camp.
Francique, who used to coach American Fred Kerley, also conditions American Matt Boling, and members of the USA team that won gold in the Mixed 4x400m Relay at the World Championships in Budapest.
Young had said in her first post on the subject that she was moving from College Station, Texas, where she attended Texas A&M University for three years and remained there for the 2023 season, her first as a professional.
Francique, who won World Indoor titles in Budapest in 2004 and Moscow, Russia, in 2006 was also a finalist at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, finishing fourth, and was also a two-time finalist in the World Athletics Championships.
Young, who admitted that her preseason workouts have been gruelling so far, said she was advised by Henry that whoever she chose as her coach, she would have to put full trust and belief in that individual — and she says thus far she is optimistic.