undistinguished year at an athletics meet in England yesterday.

The 30-year-old triple jumper had a best leap of 16.15 metres in the meet in the northern city of Sheffield, leaving him almost a metre short of winner Jonathan Edwards' best of 17.14.

His top jump left him trailing in fifth place behind Edwards, Denis Kapustin of Russia, Julian Golley of Britain and the USA's LaMark Carter.

Wellman, who is next expected to see competition as part of the Island's team at the CAC Games in Maracaibo, Venezuela, which begin next weekend, was well down on one of his best performances of the season less than two weeks' ago.

Then, in Stuttgart, Germany, he finished second behind the host nation's Charles Friedek with a jump of 16.97 metres.

Wellman, despite his struggle for form this season, will still be one of the favourites to take gold in Venezuela and will also be hoping to medal at the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia a month later.

BRIAN WELLMAN -- fifth place finish.