appears to be picking up speed here in Western Canada.

Fisher, at 33 and trying to qualify for the Commonwealth Games for the first time, ran the third-fastest 800 metres of her career to win the `B' race at the Times-Colonist International Track Meet at Bob Dailey Stadium here on Wednesday night.

Fisher led wire-to-wire to post a time of 2:08.81 in cool and rainy conditions.

It was the third consecutive 800 metres victory for Fisher on her current tour. Earlier, Fisher won at the Swindell Relays in Coquitlam on May 21, and won the `B' race at the Harry Jerome Track Classic in Vancouver on Saturday.

Boxed in by the 14-runner field, Fisher pulled to the outside with 300 metres to go, and won easily in a time of 2:11.0.

A day later, she ran the `A' stream 1,500 metres at the Jerome meet, and turned in the second fastest time of her career, 4:38.52. Only her Bermuda record of 4:32.0 was better. Fisher was 14th in the strong international field, while 1990 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Debbie Bowker of Canada was 12th.

Fisher, who set Bermuda's 800 metres standard of 2:07.2 in Virginia 10 years ago, said another time of that quality may be required if she is to make the Games team. When she left Bermuda just over two weeks ago, neither the Bermuda Track and Field Association nor the Bermuda Olympic Association could give her a definitive standard to meet in order to qualify for August's Games in Victoria.

"I'll be trying to get a 2:07 or better,'' said Fisher of the final B.C. race of her tour, scheduled for tomorrow in Victoria. "That's what it might take to make the team -- but I want to run that time, anyway, because that's what it will take to be competitive at the Commonwealth Games. A 2:08 wouldn't even get me to the finals there.'' Fisher has run in the `B' stream race in all three of her victories here. She hopes that her performances may have earned her a spot in tomorrow's `A' race.

There's also the little matter of having a favour owed to her.

"After Wednesday's race, the meet organisers asked me to be a `rabbit' for the `A' 800 metres race,'' Fisher said. "They asked me to run a 57-second 400 metres to set the pace for the top runners. I did that, and they seemed very pleased. Then they told me I'd be in the main race in Victoria.'' "If we get some better weather, and some people to run in front of Jennifer, I think she'll do quite well,'' said her husband and coach Eddie, yesterday.

"Jennifer has done well here, especially since she has not had anyone pushing her. If she was in with top class competition, I think she'd run even better.'' Fisher agrees, but understands that organisers here have been reluctant to put her in the `A' stream competition.

"The top races have been reserved for the international runners, and the Canadian girls,'' Fisher said. "The Canadian girls run the same times as me, and they want to qualify for the Games. But I want to qualify myself. In all the preliminary events they've put me in, I've come in first. Now, I want to get in a faster race.'' That chance may come as soon as tomorrow.

JENNIFER FISHER -- Trying to qualify for Commonwealth Games.