Elton Tucker, Assistant Sport Editor 
Francis
MELBOURNE:
STEPHEN Francis, the coach of world 100 metres record holder Asafa Powell and last year's men's World 100m silver medallist Michael Frater, expects his charges from the MVP Track Club to perform well in the track events at the XVIII Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
"We have used the weeks we have been here to train on the artificial surface as before we left Jamaica we were training (on grass) at the University of Technology," Francis said, while watching several members of his track club work out at the warm-up track at the Melbourne Olympic Park, metres away from the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) which is hosting the track and field events.
Hurdler Brigitte Foster-Hylton and sprinters Sherone Simpson and Winston Smith were there for the mid-day warm-up.
EARLY ACCLIMATISATION
"I think the people who arrived early have been adjusted and it looks like they may be ready to go given the time of the year," Francis said.
He added: "It is difficult to acclimatise (to the 16-hour change in time) as you normally need about two weeks to get rid of the jet lag. You need a day for every hour of the flight from Los Angeles (a 14-hour flight). Those who came early look like they are pretty much back to normal."
Francis and his main charges flew into Australia two days after competing at the February 25 Gibson Relays.
According to the top Jamaican coach, world record holder Powell has been responding well in training and will do well here.
"Asafa (Powell) has been training well just like everybody else as we have had access to good facilities."
NO SPEED FROM POWELL?
Francis hinted that he would not be expecting any fast times from Powell.
"We are really at the early point of the year and I have not really adjusted training much to accommodate this meet because we still have to compete from April down to October this year.
"Normally, we would have been doing the type of work which would lead me to have a guess as to what kind of time he could do now, and early next month. But, based on what I have seen from the relays, he has run and from the 100m he ran recently I think he is pretty much close to where I think he should be. He has not lost anything and I expect that he should be good to go."
Francis said Frater took some time to get adjusted to the time here.
"He had problems sleeping, but I think he is okay now. He has been looking good in practice so I expect him to run very well.
COMPETITIVE FIELD
According to Francis, the men's 100m field is very strong and will be competitive.
"The only ones missing are the Americans (Justin Gatlin, Shawn Crawford etc.) but aside from those, the best people in the world are here.
The men's 100m which gets under way Sunday (local time) comprises a field which includes the crack Trinidad and Tobago duo, Jacey Harper and Marc Burns, Ghana's World Championships finalist Aziz Zakari and Australia's world-rated sprinter, Patrick Johnson.
Francis also has high hopes for 2004 relay gold medallist Sherone Simpson.
Simpson will run the 200m here instead of the 100m, where she has reached two world level finals.
"I chose the 200m for Sherone (Simpson) because the aim is to get her properly ready to run. I did not want her to be running an event when she is jetlagged so the extra four days that she would have to recover I think will do the trick."
Despite the presence of 2004 gold medallist Veronica Campbell, Francis thinks Simpson is in good enough condition to win gold in the half lap event.
"I do not see why she can't win," he said. "She can run fast enough to put down a very competitive time at this time of the year, and I think she is going to run a personal best. If anybody wants to beat her they have to run faster than her current personal best of 22.52."
CAMPBELL ADJUSTING
Campbell, who is expected to be Simpson's main rival in the 200m, trained yesterday after flying into Melbourne on Friday.
She said she was adjusting well.
"I will be fine. I am healthy right now and my aim is just to come here and do my best," Campbell said while leaving the track with training partner, Omar Brown, and the husband and wife duo of sprint hurdler Lacena Golding-Clarke and 400m runner Davian Clarke.
She said most of her training had been taking place indoors because of bad weather at her Arkansas base.
"I think I will be able to make the transition from indoors to outdoors," Campbell added.
