Troy Douglas jets off again next week in pursuit of more international glory.

Fresh off four meets in Europe, which was highlighted by a personal best and Bermuda record of 45.37 in Koblenz, Germany, which placed him second in the 400 metres, Douglas' next engagement will be the World Cup in Havana, Cuba, from September 24-28.

When he leaves here on Tuesday, after taking in his first cricket game in two years tomorrow, Douglas will be headed for Arizona to join up with his training partner Willie Cadwell, also a 400 metres runner who was eighth in the US Olympic trials, to begin preparing for Cuba.

In Europe, Douglas felt the strain of competing in three meets in five days so soon after the Barcelona Games. His first stop was Austria where he was second in the 400 metres in 45.61, before moving on to Cologne, Germany, where he was sixth in the 400 metres in 46.11.

In Zurich, Switzerland, he recorded his slowest 200 metres of the year of 21.04 to place sixth, though it all came good in Koblenz.

"My batteries were recharged after the first three meets before Koblenz when I had three meets in five days,'' said Douglas yesterday. "That was hectic and I didn't do anything for five days. I got burnt out in Zurich, took five days off and came back for a national record. Now I want to peak for a third time for the World Cup.'' Douglas, who placed sixth in the semifinals of the 400 metres at the Olympics, desperately wants a medal at a major meet. He is enjoying his most consistent season ever and promises there is more to come.

After Cuba he will go to Mexico City for an invitational meet before returning to Arizona and then back home around the third week of October until after Christmas.

"I'll be starting training in the first week of November to get ready for the indoor season,'' he explained.

Douglas took off time from school to concentrate his energies on his second Olympics, preparation that has been helped enormously by generous sponsorship from the Bermuda Telephone Company.

"They relieved the biggest burden of all and were a real life-saver,'' he said. "I'm really thankful to them.'' He plans to complete his final year of school next year for his degreee in Liberal Arts and after that hopes to stay on in the United States to continue training and competing.

"I'll be based more over there than here,'' he said. "It's nice to come home but this is my life right now. Settling down is the furthest thing from my mind. If I had a nine to five job I wouldn't be at this level because this is a full-time job.'' At the start of the season Douglas had set the 1994 Commonwealth Games in British Columbia, Canada, as his final major meet. But after the way he has been running lately, he now sees himself running all the way to the '96 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, when he will be 33.

"Thirty-three and a finalist,'' he predicts confidently.

"For the next four years I'll be preparing for the next Olympics. Next year there is the world indoor and world outdoor. I'm a junkie for this life. I actually get withdrawal symthoms when I'm not out there competing. I can't wait for the next meet.'' Douglas is rated in the top 20 in the world in the 400 metres and says his goal in the next year is to get in the top 10 or 15. "That's an achievement in itself,'' he added.

"My 46.23 got me in the top 15 in the indoors. This has been a good year...lots of running, but a hell of a year. And it's not over yet!'' TROY DOUGLAS -- Back home for a few days.