Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer

Darrel Brown - file

Trinidad and Tobago's World Championships 100 metres silver medallist, Darrel Brown, believes working alongside MVP's coach Stephen Francis and his world-class group can only bring out the best in him.

The Trinidadian, who finished second behind Kim Collins at the 2003 Paris World Championships, is set to join Francis' MVP Track Club within two months.

Brown will join world 100m record holder Asafa Powell, Helsinki's World Championships 100m silver medallist Michael Frater, Olympic sprint relay gold medallist and Commonwealth Games 200m champion Sherone Simpson and two-time World Championships 100m hurdles medallist Brigitte Foster-Hylton, along with World Junior 400m hurdles champion Kaliese Spencer, at their UTech-based training camp.

Brown, whose personal best is 9.99 seconds, believes he will be in good company. "Looking at those athletes, I can only expect to work really hard," said Brown, who won the 100m silver in Paris at age 18.

"A situation like that will only bring the best out of me," he added while saying "hopefully I can bring out the best out of them too."

In an interview with STAR Sports, Brown speaking via telephone from Auburn, Alabama, said his main objectives are to "stay healthy" and "to get back where I think I should be, in the top five of the world 100m list."

Brown, who holds the World Junior 100m record at 10.01 seconds, said the decision to switch coach was not his, but that of former coach, Henry Rolle.

"The whole decision was not on me," said the man, who won the 100m when Jamaica hosted the World Junior Championships in 2002.

"Coach brought across the idea of me going over to Jamaica to work with Francis, and to me it wasn't a bad idea. He (Rolle) brought me to a level and I don't know if he think he could not have taken me further. He doesn't have a problem in me going over to coach Francis," Brown explained.

Bahamian Rolle, who coached Brown to the World Champion-ships 100m silver medal, told the Trinidad Express he believes switching to Kingston is the best decision for the 21-year-old sprinter.

"I was asked to work with Darrel, and I told him I would guide him to a point where I felt I could not take him any further, and then I would send him to the place that is best for him," Rolle said.

He added that while many top coaches were keen to work with Brown, Francis is the one he believes can help the Trinidadian sprint star maximise his potential.

"I know Francis and I have full respect for him. He and (another Jamaican) Glen Mills are the only coaches I felt comfortable with. Francis has a contract to work exclusively with Nike athletes, and since Darrel is contracted to Nike, Francis was the obvious choice," he pointed out

Brown now awaits Francis' call to tell him when to arrive in Kingston, though he assumes it won't be before October.

"When the entire track season is over he will tell me when he wants me over there," Brown said.