In 2024, it was announced that the once biannual World Athletics Championships would now be a yearly event. For some athletes and fans alike, concerns erupted about whether this would be add too much strain on athletes and their careers.
For others, this rigorous change is merely an example of a hard truth: chasing their dreams would require grit, resilience and maximum effort of both mind and body. For Jamaican sprinter Kavia Francis, this is the price she’s willing to pay for her five year plan – which includes, in her words:
“At least three world Championships. And the Olympics.“
Simply put, the University of Arkansas sprinter remains committed to her goal of leaving a mark as one of the best 400m runners that Jamaica – and the world – has ever seen.
As she gears up for her final year on the NCAA circuit, the Manchester High and Holmwood Tech alum is just getting started on her quest to representing her country on the biggest stage.
over and over again
The 400 metres sprint is a unique balance of strategy, technique and endurance.
An explosive start + cruising with momentum + conserving just enough energy for the final stretch = the exhausting formula that requires practicing over and over – and over – again, until they find the sweet spot.
Similarly, Kavia’s athletic career mimics her pet event: a series of events that seemingly don’t fit at first, but ultimately work out for the end goal. After five years at Manchester High, the Clarendon native found herself transferring to Holmwood Technical’s more rigorous program – and the home of 10 ISSA Girls Championship titles.
The transition came with growing pains for Francis, who was pushed to new limits. “Even though I didn’t finish all my years there, [Manchester] really gave me the start that I needed,” she explained. “My first few months at Holmwood nearly killed me. I was like ‘Oh, now I get how y’all run this fast,” she said with a grin.
kavia’s stats:
- Outdoor PB: 51.15 (400m), 22.91 (200m)
- Indoor PB: 52.70 (400m), 23.26 (200m)
- Represented Jamaica at the Pan American U20 Championships
- 4x First Team All American
- 4x Big 12 Champion (4×400 relay)
- 2x ISSA Boys and Girls Championship medalist
Having a non-linear start is nothing new for Kavia: in fact, her talent as a kid was initially discovered at prep school, in an attempt to spite a coach who told her she wasn’t good enough for the team. Poetically, it was that same coach who welcomed her to Holmwood after unexpected changes with Manchester’s coaching staff during the 2017-18 season.
At Holmwood, she proved her mettle as a rising star in the 400 metres: after shaving 2 seconds off her personal best in one season (woah?), she capped off her high school career with a silver medal at ISSA Boys and Girls Champs, a bronze medal from the 2019 Pan American Games, and a full athletic scholarship to the Big 12 Conference’s Baylor University in Waco, Texas.
a false start
D1 scholarship? Check. Mission Go Pro was going according to plan.
Francis was an instant standout for the Baylor Bears, breaking program records and becoming a regular fixture on the team’s 4×100 and 4×400 relay quartets.
kavia’s fun facts
- she previously competed in the 100m, 200m and long jump. Knee injuries led her to picking one to stick with – and the 400m came out on top.
- She loves beauty and fashion, and has goals of starting a clothing line and beauty franchise
- She initially tried out for her prep school’s track team to spend more time with her bestie. The natural talent was an unexpected (albeit pleasant) surprise.
As she seemed to be finding her stride, a sudden flare of longtime knee pains – stemming as far back as high school – became too concerning to ignore.
“My first two years at Baylor were great. I PBd the first year – I went from 53.5 in high school, to 52.6,” said Francis. “And then the next year, when I had my breakthrough year…I had to do surgery on my knee.”
Her medical team declared the procedure necessary to determine if this could bring her career to a halt. Kavia recalls being eager to start rehab immediately after surgery, speeding up the process by ditching her crutches as early as possible.
On the surface, her recovery seemed to be going as expected – until it wasn’t. Knee pains, discovered to be caused by a grade 3 stress reaction in the shin, became a constant reoccurrence that would derail her final two years at Baylor.
more than an asset
Injuries, though inevitable, are always a time of contention for any athlete. “I have goals – I want to get a contract after this,” she recalls thinking. “And If I keep performing the way I’m performing, a contract will not be in place.” Kavia proposed redshirting for her senior season, but says that there still seemed to be an expectation to train and compete at a high level – despite her expressing concern for the rapidly worsening injury.
Compared to other popular professional sports, track and field athletes typically receive far less in endorsement deals, media placements, and advertising. For example, Noah Lyle’s multi-year Adidas contract, the “richest in the sport since the retirement of Usain Bolt”, is rumored to be around USD $2.3 million a year. Despite being one of the fastest men on the planet, Lyles’ earnings pale in comparison to the median NBA annual salary of $6.7 million for the 2024-25 season.
“It’s weird, because I’ve known since I was like 10, what I wanted: I want to own my own business, and I want to go pro,” she said. “That’s the two things that I’ve always had in mind, and those are the two things that I just keep working towards. It never changes.”
“Think about me as a person and as an athlete.
Not just as your asset.”
Her visible involvement in Baylor’s Apparel Merchandising program indicated that her entrepreneurial goals were going according to plan. However, on the athletic side, uncharacteristic performances became a cause for concern. “Mentally, it was very draining,” she explained. “I was in and out of counseling and therapy that whole time.”
“I understood that this is a business, I get it,” she said. “But at the same time, think about me as a person and as an athlete. Not just as your asset. I want to do good, and I want to go places. What I’m doing now – it’s not going to help me, it’s hindering me.”
support systems
Feeling a disconnect with coaches is understandably uncomfortable for any athlete. The resulting confusion can be isolating, and it’s why the value of trustworthy friends and family – especially those who understand what you’re going through – can’t be understated.
Kavia’s mom Nadine, who she describes as “her rock”, provided much needed validation about her fears about the future. Similarly, Kavia credits her friend and former Baylor roommate Ackera Nugent with providing insight in the midst of her unrest.
According to Kavia, both her mom and Ackera agreed that she’d benefit from a change in environment. “She [Ackera] had been saying ‘Kavia – just leave. Just leave,” she laughed. “That’s how she is, she’s just a blunt person. She’s always patient with me, because she knows how I am.”
“So when I had the encounter that made me really say “I’m gone”, I texted her like ‘I’m done.’ And she was like ‘good.’ “
finding a better fit
Due to the interruptions to the 2020 season from the Covid-19 pandemic, the NCAA afforded affected athletes an additional year of eligibility – they previously had five years to play four seasons of their sport, but now had the option of six. This gave many athletes more options – and time – to explore programs that could be a better fit.
Luckily for Francis, it didn’t take more than a couple days in the transfer portal to strike gold. After being contacted by Razorback coaching staff, the rest, as she put it, was history. “When I went on a visit to Arkansas, it was a done deal right there,” she said. “Arkansas is the best 400m school in the country. I’m not looking at nobody else.”
With a total of 39 championships wins, the Razorbacks boast the most titles in NCAA track & field history, with the most recent in 2024. Along with Nugent, standout Jamaican Arkansas T&F alum include (to name a few) Olympic gold medalist Omar McLeod, U20 triple jump record holder Jaydon Hibbert, and Nickisha Pryce – two-time 400m national champion, and the 10th fastest in the discipline of all time. “I came here and I was like, it’s getting real. It’s getting real real,” said Francis. “Like, we’re training like pros…if you’re just here for college sports, I don’t think Arkansas is for you.”
comeback szn
After taking time off from March to August, Kavia is relieved to be back to training consistently. While flare ups of her injury are still a concern, she’s taking recovery one step at a time.
Getting back in top form shape was a top priority – one that took a lot of discipline and accountability. “[Ackera] is actually the person who helped me lose weight. She’d be like, ‘Kavia, what did you eat? Why are you eating rice?”, she laughed. “She’s just a good person, and a good friend to have.”
Despite the less than ideal circumstances, her aspirations remain consistent and concise. “A lot of people think it’s weird that I don’t set my [sprinting] goals with specific times,” she explains. “My goals are always big, like – okay, I wanna run faster than what I ran last year. I wanna maybe work on my start, work on my finish.”
“It helps me more mentally, knowing that I’m just gonna go out there and give it my best all the time – instead of saying oh, I wanna get this time – and I go out there, and maybe I’m just not there yet…and I start to freak myself out.”
As for her comeback season, she’s determined to keep it just as simple while making the most of her new environment in the competitive Southeastern Conference (SEC).
“The three biggest goals I have are… 1. To never forget God. 2. Stay healthy.”
“And 3. – give it all I got.”
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