night as he romped to victory in the Times-Colonist international track and field meet here.

The pre-race favourite was never challenged as he crossed the finish line in 45.54 seconds, 15 hundredths of a second faster than his winning time on Vancouver on Sunday. Raimundo Escalante of Mexico was second 47.29, while American Bernard Chatman was third in 47.49.

Douglas shaved eight hundredths of a second off the Canadian record set by Anton Skerritt in Rome nearly five years ago. His time also set new British Columbia and meet records. Douglas holds the Bermuda record of 45.06, set in Seoul in 1988.

"I'm very pleased with the race,'' Douglas said moments after his victory.

"If I leave here mad, I should be slapped. I'm nothing but a happy man right now. I'm just getting faster and faster. It's strange because I didn't feel comfortable before the race -- I felt heavy while I was warming up. But then the gun went off, and it all came together.'' The key, he said while signing autographs for an appreciative crowd after the race, was his ability to concentrate on the matter at hand.

"I stayed focussed. Nothing got away from me, and I did what I wanted to do over the last 100 metres -- I ran scared. I was able to control my excitement coming to the finish line. To do that two races back to back this week, I have no complaints whatsoever. I'm very pleased.'' Douglas will return to his Tucson training base today, and plans to chart his summer schedule after talking to his Holland-based manager tomorrow. He would like to leave next week for a series of meets in Europe.

"Those meets are all high-performance, and I like that because every day you've got to be up for them,'' he said. "Those kinds of people always win in 44. Even the top three are always in the high-44s or low-45s. And they're the people I'll be running against at the Games in Barcelona.'' Douglas, who reached the semifinals of the 400 metres at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, said he hopes to make a triumphant return to Victoria in two years' time when the Canadian city hosts the 1994 Games.

"I'll probably quit track in 1994, and since I wasn't happy with my performance in New Zealand, I want to come back to Victoria and let them know I'm here for business.

"Being here this week is a plus for me. I'm getting to know some people and getting familiar with the place.'' TROY DOUGLAS -- Comfortable winner in Canada last night.