not have done him much good in last night's 400 metres semi-finals.

Douglas rocketed out of the blocks in the first semi and was timed in 45.59 seconds, just four-hundredths of a second slower than his Bermuda record set earlier this year. But he saw his Olympic dreams disappear as he finished sixth.

When 1988 Olympic champion and heat winner Steve Lewis caught Douglas there was a little over 100 metres left and the 29-year-old Bermudian just did not have enough down the stretch to maintain a top-four finish that would have carried him into tomorrow's final.

Lewis crossed the line in 44.50, followed by Roberto Hernandez Prendes of Cuba (44.72), Ibrahim Ismail of Qatar (45.01) and Susumu Takano of Japan (45.09).

Sunday Bada of Jigeria (45.36) was fifth, followed by Douglas and Simon Kemboi (45.93).

The day's most heart-touching sight was Britain's Derek Redmond, the fastest semi-final qualifier, hobbling across the finish line several seconds after Kemboi after pulling a hamstring midway through the race.

Douglas admitted later that the occasion got to him and ruined his race plan.

"I ran out like a mad dog and didn't have enough to come home in,'' he said.

"I probably got carried away. I gave it my best. I'm not mad, I'm happy. I was in a classy field, so you know I'm a classy quarter-miler.

"The second half of the season is to come. I'll get them back. All I wanted to do is give more than I did yesterday, so I'm happy.'' The scene is now set for an electrifying final tomorrow as Quincy Watts followed with the fastest time in Olympic history, 43.71, en route to winning the second heat.

But the biggest applause went to Redmond, whose 1988 dreams were also ruined by injury.

"I was feeling good and it came out of the blue,'' said the tearful Briton.

"It was not a bad pull but I heard a pop in my right leg. It happened so fast, then it dawned on me that I was out of the final.

"No one was going to stop me from finishing the race. I pulled out of the 1988 Olympics because of an Achilles injury, and I wanted to finish the race here.'' Bermuda's other performer on what would be the Island's last day in track and field was sprinter Dawnette Douglas. She was sixth in her 200 metres first-round heat in 25.03 seconds and did not make the second round.

BOWING OUT -- Bermudian Troy Douglas (centre) finishes sixthe in yesterday's 400 metres semi-final. -- Reuter.