Jay Donawa has been ruled out of Bermuda's CAC cross country team by the injury he suffered in the International 10K.

Donawa pulled out of Saturday's race after a fall in the early stages left him with a fractured collar bone.

He was due to travel to St. Lucia on Thursday to take part in the CAC event on Sunday, with team-mates Kavin Smith, Terrance Armstrong and Tracy Wright.

Members of the Bermuda Track and Field Association met last night amid doubts over Armstrong's availability and fears that the Island would not have a team to send.

But Stephen DeSilva, the BTFA's president of road running, said Donawa's place would be taken by Jamal Hart and confirmed Armstrong would be competing after all.

"Donawa's injury was bad news for us, because he is one of the best athletes we have,'' said DeSilva.

"We are terribly disappointed as we thought we had one of our best teams ever. But we still have good athletes. Kavin Smith is running the best he has ever run.'' Before the meeting, Donawa had not given up all hope of competing at the weekend, but he had admitted his chances were slim.

"At this point it's looking grim,'' he said. "I'm just trying to get the bone healed up, but I've been in a tremendous amount of pain and I haven't been sleeping well.

"I felt like we would have a very strong team for the CAC and I did not want to be the one to mess that up.'' Donawa is a survivor from the team which won a CAC bronze medal for Bermuda by finishing third in Grenada two years ago. Last year, the Island placed seventh out of 11 countries in Costa Rica.

But the presence of Washington-based Commonwealth Games 1500 metres finalist Armstrong is a great boost for the team.

Armstrong missed last Friday's Bank of Butterfield Mile when his flight from Baltimore was cancelled and then thought he may have to miss the trip to St.Lucia because of commitments in the US, but has now confirmed his availability.

Meanwhile, Donawa spoke for the first time about the accidental trip over another runner which wrecked his dreams of success in the 10K.

"I felt pretty good at the start of the race, like this was going to be my day. My main focus was to go out with the leaders and see how long I could hang on.

"Once we crested the hill and got on the flat, the pace slowed down a little and we jostled for position and I got myself into what I thought was a very good position behind the front four or five.

"Then, out of the blue, I fell to the ground very hard, on my head and shoulder. It all happened so fast.'' His training partner Smith, who afterwards expressed how bad he felt for Donawa, came to his friend's aid.

"Kavin ran back and encouraged me to get up and start running. I was a little stunned about the whole thing.

"I saw the abrasions on my arm, but it was really when the shoulder started feeling tight and painful I knew something was really wrong. It got worse and worse and I pulled out before the one-mile mark.

"I am very disappointed because all the training I have done since last summer was geared up to the International 10K and the CAC cross country championships.'' Donawa was taken to hospital, X-rayed and found to have fractured his clavicle on the right side. His doctor told him to make up his own mind about whether to run at the weekend, but advised him to rest for three weeks.

In the meantime, he has to wear an orthopaedic sling and has been treated with anti-inflammatory drugs.

Donawa remained philosophical: "They say everything happens for a reason, but I haven't been able to work out the reason for this yet. Maybe one day I'll be able to look back and say this made me a stronger person.'' BROKEN DREAMS -- Jay Donawa reflects on what might have been after his fall in Saturday's International 10K left him with a fractured collar bone and out of the CAC cross country championships.