at the World Indoor Championships in Toronto, Canada, but the triple jumper still feels confident of someday medalling at a World Championship meet.

Wellman almost met with disaster when a portion of the runway gave way during his step phase of the fourth jump, causing a major delay while the track was resurfaced.

Currently on the Island enjoying spring break, Wellman registered a personal best jump of 56 feet, eight inches on his third jump in Toronto's Skydome to lead the competition at the midway stage.

However, he lost out on a medal due to a controversial decision by meet officials in allowing Latvian Maris Bruziks effort measuring 56-111 to stand, even though his foot was clearly past the take-off board.

A review of the video tape on the competition proved inconclusive.

"The problem was they didn't have a video camera on the board, whereas in the women's long jump they had a video camera on the board and in the men's triple they had no video camera on the board so they couldn't tell from the camera if he was over the board or not,'' said Wellman, a senior at the University of Arkansas.

"I don't think the officials there had much experience at that international level of competition. They seemed a bit `rusty' on what they had to do.'' Frenchman Pierre Camara won the event, leaping 57-81 , the fourth best jump in indoor history, with Bruziks second and Nikolay Raev (56-8) of Bulgaria third, on the basis of having accrued less fouls than Wellman.

Hopes of a Bermudian triumph abounded after Wellman emerged as the leading qualifier going into the semifinals and finals.

But on replacement of the damaged floorboard during the final others began to improve their distances while Wellman could not duplicate his earlier form.

Said Wellman: "Looking back at it you could say that if I hadn't broke the board and it stayed wobbly then probably a lot of people wouldn't have jumped further.'' The situation could have been much worse however, if not for a strip of rubber covering the track that prevented Wellman's foot punching right through the boards and possibly causing serious injury.

Somewhat disappointed at not winning, or receiving a medal, Wellman was nevertheless pleased with his showing.

"Things went well in the qualifying round and I expected to win it in the finals'' "I still felt up until the last round, even though the French guy jumped 57'-81 , that I had enough in me to go and jump further than that...I felt at that point that I could jump 58 feet, which I did in my last jump but that was a scratch.

"I know I had enough in me to win the whole thing. It was just due to a few scratches and stuff and just really trying to go for it (that I didn't).

That's the breaks, but it lets me know it's there though.'' Looking ahead to the World Outdoor Championships later this year in Stockholm, Sweden, Wellman said: "It has always one of my goals to go to world championships and medal.

"I think that I can still go there and medal because I have what it takes to jump that far.'' BRIAN WELLMAN.