long distance runner Kavin Smith will depart on Monday for an elite athlete's training camp in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

He's expected to stay for five weeks in a state where the high altitude has helped many of the world's top distance runners prepare for international events.

At the end of the training camp, Smith hopes to enter a marathon in the United States in a final attempt to meet the Olympic marathon qualifying time of two hours and 20 minutes.

In Las Vegas last month he broke 2:30 for the first time, clocking 2:29.45.

Smith this week attributed his latest opportunity to sponsors TeleBermuda and to his employers, Bermuda Telephone Company.

"I am tremendously grateful to both of these companies for their assistance.

Without their help it would not have been possible for me to go for such a long period,'' he said.

"I'm excited about having the chance to train in such a high altitude for an extended period. I am not going specifically because it's a training camp per se, the idea of preparing at a high level is the real attraction and the overall environment centainly has its advantages.'' With time running out and so few marathons remaining in which to qualify for the Games, Smith knows he has to make the most of this latest venture.

He assured that a recent fall he suffered during training in Bermuda had had no affect on him, although he was advised by his physio to take a few days off.

Smith returned last Sunday to win the Lindo's 10K race in 33.40, comfortably beating John Wassenaar (34.19) into second place.

"Kavin simply has to take his running to another level and the decision to head out to the high altitude of Albuquerque is definitely going to benefit him, there is no doubt about it,'' said Lee Tucker, who has been acting as his assistant in recent weeks.

"The good thing about his trip is that sponsors have rallied behind him and his employers have shown their support by giving him the time off from work, and with the whole of Bermuda coming aboard and giving their support his chances of doing well will be greatly enhanced.'' Kavin Smith: heading for a training camp in New Mexico.