month's Olympic Games, was one of more than 80 world class athletes who accepted invitations to this week's meet in war-ravaged Sarajevo.

But on an historic occasion where fast times were of secondary importance, the 33-year-old Bermuda veteran showed little of the form which carried him to a third successive Olympic semi-final just four weeks earlier.

In a less than star-studded 400m field, Douglas trailed home seventh out of eight in a disappointing 48.29 seconds, a full three seconds outside his personal best.

Following the withdrawal of world record holder and Olympic champion Michael Johnson, victory went to Nigeria's Sunday Bada in 46.25. Samson Tego of Kenya was second in 46.66 and Norberto Tellez of Cuba third in 46.86.

Douglas, based in Holland, clocked a record-breaking 45.26 in his second round heat at the Atlanta Games before slowing to 46.33 in the semi-finals.

He also smashed his own 200 metres record at the Games, finishing in 20.41 in his first heat which was the fourth fastest of all 78 sprinters in the opening round.

Monday evening's meet at the newly re-opened Kosevo Stadium marked the first major sporting event in the Bosnian capital since the end of the war which followed the break-up of the former Yugoslavia.

Troy Douglas