Track and field legends Troy Douglas, Nicky Saunders and Brian Wellman are to help put Bermuda back on the sporting map by coaching the Island's top athletes.

The former greats have been asked by Bermuda Track and Field Association (BTFA) to share their knowledge, experience and contacts with those local athletes already competing at international level.

Although Douglas, Saunders and Wellman are all based overseas, the BTFA want them to link up with Bermuda athletes like Tyrone Smith, Aaron Evans, Tre Houston, Arantxa King and Shianne Smith whenever they compete at international meets.

Former triple jumper, Wellman, travelled to Columbia with Tyrone and Shianne Smith for an event last summer, while ex-Olympic sprinter Douglas recently put BTFA president Donna Watson in touch with world renowned coach Tony Lester who is set to work with 100 metre runner Houston.

During the mid-1980s to late '90s all three athletes performed with distinction on the world stage and Watson hopes their decorated careers can help motivate Bermuda's stars of tomorrow to follow in their footsteps.

"These three athletes are well known on the track and field circuit and are very respected and we need to take advantage of that," said Watson. "I know they are very excited and interested.

"I would also like to start having them travel with some of our teams to the international meets as coaches. We sent Brian this season to a meet with Shianne Smith and Tyrone Smith and they told me that they learned a lot from Brian in that short time.

"They may not be able to be on the Island but they can develop a relationship with those athletes and communicate to them regarding training and competition.

"With these guys overseas they can set up connections to coaches, schools, competitions to assist us our local athletes. We have several athletes that are knocking on the door of becoming world class and maybe they just need that little bit of motivation."

Later this year Douglas, Saunders and Wellman return to Bermuda for a BTFA banquet and will also deliver a coaching workshop for young athletes who, according to Watson, are probably unaware of the trio's achievements.

"Do they even know of their accomplishments?" Watson said. "I want Nicky, Brian and Troy to not only speak about their experience but to talk about the hard work, dedication, commitment . . .

"We also need to celebrate them as they have put Bermuda on the map in their own way in track and field. I'm sure there are not too many world class triple jumpers that do not know the name Brian Wellman or high jumpers that don't know Nicky Saunders.

"I'm really excited about working with these guys and can see them bringing a lot back to this sport. I think it's important for our athletes coming up to recognise that Bermuda has had world class athletes."

Douglas, a 200 and 400 metre runner, competed at the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympics and is the only Bermudian athlete to have reached three Olympic semi-finals.

Saunders won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in high jump and held the Commonwealth record, while Wellman won the World Indoor Championships and ranked in the top ten from 1992 to 2001.