Brian Wellman and Troy Douglas flexed their athletic muscle at Olympic Stadium last night to breeze through their respective qualifying competitions on the opening day of the Atlanta Games track and field programme.

But the Island's third athlete, youngster Devon Bean, found sprinting at this level a little too hot to handle as he bowed out of a star-studded 100 metres field.

Triple jumper Wellman, second at the World Championships a year ago and now Bermuda's only realistic medal hope at these Games, began his Olympic quest just as he had hoped, needing only one leap to book his ticket in today's final.

And while the 27-year-old made it look all so easy, there were a whole host of big names -- world record holder Jonathan Edwards included -- who would dearly have loved to have emulated his performance, and qualified at the first attempt.

Wellman, in fact, was one of only five jumpers in a field of 42 who bettered 17 metres -- the automatic qualifying distance for the final. He and the rest did it on their first jump. None of the remainder, again Edwards included, managed that distance in the second or third rounds.

Thirteenth to jump in his group, Wellman soared to 17.10, fourth best on the night and one of his longest this year. America's Kenny Harrison had the best, also on his first attempt, of 17.58.

"This is only the first round, nothing to get excited about,'' said a nonchalant Wellman afterwards.

However, he admitted to being impressed by Harrison's jump and surprised at Edwards' sub-par showing.

"Kenny's ready to go. He's just sending us all a message,'' said Wellman.

"Jonathan, well he's got the ability, everyone knows that. He could fall down 17 metres. But this is the Olympics, and it's all about pressure and how you handle it.'' Edwards did make it to today's final but only by virtue of a leap of 16.96 metres which placed him sixth overall with 12 advancing.

Meanwhile, Douglas, at 33 was the oldest in his 400 metres heat by a whopping nine years. But, a semi-finalist in this event at the Barcelona Games four years ago, he exploded out of his blocks on the inside lane to dominate a quality field around the first 300 metres only to tie up down the final stretch.

Overtaken by Jamaican Davian Clarke (45.54) and South American champion Sanderlei Parrela of Brazil (45.60), Douglas hung on for the third automatic qualifying place, clocking 45.61, just two tenths of a second outside his PB.

Edged out into fourth place was Kenya's Commonwealth Games champion Charles Gitonga (45.61), who also qualified as one of the fastest losers.

"I surprised myself,'' said a smiling Douglas, who considers next week's 200 metres his strongest event. "I came round the final bend and heard the announcer say `it's Douglas leading' and I thought `wow'. I died the last 10 metres, but I did enough.

"I'd love to get to the semi-finals again, but I know I'm going to have to run faster tomorrow.'' Douglas' time was the 13th fastest of 64 runners from whom 32 qualified.

Bean, at 20 the youngest runner in his heat by three years and one of the youngest of the 108 entries in the 100 metres, also got a magnificent start as he was the first to emerge from his blocks and at 30 metres shared the lead.

But in a heat which included the fastest man in the world this year, Namibian Frankie Fredericks, who took the silver in Barcelona four years ago, and Canadian Glenroy Gilbert, last year's Pan-Am Games gold medallist, he was never expected to hang on.

The Bermudian, who trains out of his Long Beach college in California, faded badly over the last 50 metres, eventually finishing seventh in 10.89, more than six tenths of a second slower than the 10.27 he clocked to qualify for these Games.

However, he was far from despondent, citing a lack of race fitness for his comparatively slow time.

"I got a real good start -- that's one of my strong points. But I was lacking over the last 40 metres and I think that's because I wasn't race fit,'' he said. "I just haven't run enough races because of the injury I picked up.'' Asked whether he might now attempt to enter next week's 200 metres, Bean replied: "No, that's it for me. I'm just happy to have been here.

"But I'll be back in four years and next year for the Worlds and the Commonwealth Games.'' Bermuda at the Olympics Bermuda at the Olympics Yesterday's results Athletics 100 metres heats: Devon Bean, heat 12, 7th, 10.89 secs. (eliminated).

400 metres heats: Troy Douglas, heat 2, 3rd, 45.61 secs (qualified).

Triple jump qualifying: Brian Wellman, 17.10 metres (qualified).

Sailing Star Class: Peter Bromby/Lee White, race six, 19th; race seven, 14th; overall 13th Laser Class: Malcolm White, race seven, 48th; race eight, 40th; overall 42nd Europe Dinghy: Paula Lewin, race seven, 14th; race eight, 8th; overall 13th Sailing Standings (after yesterday's races) Star Class: 1. C.Beashel/D.Giles, Australia (11-1-1-1-8-3-2) 16pts; 2.

T.Grael/M.Ferreira, Brazil (1-6-2-7-1-4-9) 21; 3. H.Wallen/B.Lohse, Sweden (4-7-7-8-2-1-3) 24; 13. P.Bromby/L.White, Bermuda (9-20-9-10-11-19-14) 72.

Laser Class: 1. B.Ainslie, Great Britain (27-4-7-2-2-1-2-1) 19; 2. R.Scheidt, Brazil (2-9-3-6-1-3-7-2) 24; 3. P.Moberg, Norway (1-7-9-1-9-10-1-21) 38; 42.

M.Smith, Bermuda (40-31-41-32-42-41-48-40) 267.

Europe Dinghy: 1. K.Roug, Denmark (2-1-3-2-1-2-8-1) 12; 2. M.Matthijsse, Netherlands (DNS-2-1-10-2-1-1-4) 21; 3. C.Becker-Dey, USA (1-8-2-4-7-6-3-14) 31; 13. P.Lewin, Bermuda (20-9-6-15-15-14-14-8) 81.

Today's schedule (all times Bermuda) Athletics Triple jump final: Brian Wellman, 8.00 p.m.

400 metres, second round heats: Troy Douglas, 6.30 p.m. (approx.) Sailing Star Class: Peter Bromby/Lee White, race eight, 2.00 p.m.; race nine, 4.00 p.m.

Laser Class: Rest day.

Europe Dinghy: Rest day.

Sunday Athletics 400 metre semi-finals: Troy Douglas, 6.00 p.m. (approx.).

Sailing Star Class: Peter Bromby/Lee White, race 10, 2.00 p.m.

-- depending on 2nd round results.

BRIAN WELLMAN TROY DOUGLAS