difficult conditions in El Paso, Texas over the weekend.

Wellman, already qualified for this year's Sydney Olympics, had a leap of 56-feet, one-inch against strong winds at the UTEP Invitational, outjumping Jerome Romaine, who now represents France, and Desmond Hunt of the United States.

Wellman recently held the leading mark in the world this year in indoor competition with a jump of 55ft, 111 ins (17.05 metres).

Competing at the same Texas meet was Bermudian sprinter Devon Bean who placed fifth in the long jump as he, too, experienced some difficulty with the conditions. Bean, who like Wellman is based in Arkansas, had a leap of 24ft, 101 ins. He also ran the 100 metres in a time of 10.69 seconds.

Bean's next meet will be in Fayetteville, Arkansas this weekend.

At the Duke Invitational meet the previous weekend, Bermuda's Damian Simmons of St. Augustine College recorded a time of 1:54.89 in the 800 metres in what was his first meet of the outdoor season.

Seton Hall University's Jarita Dill was at that same meet, running a time of 2:09.20 in the 800 metres which was a personal best. It marked the first time that Dill had recorded a sub-2:10 time over the distance.