month's Heritage Day Classic.

With Bermuda's home grown stars Brian Wellman and Troy Douglas almost certain to be available for the event at National Stadium on May 5, there is now a strong likelihood that athletes such as world outdoor triple jump record holder Michael Conley of the United States, Jamaican sprinter Raymond Stewart and fellow sprinter Geir Moen of Norway, who captured the gold medal in the 200 metres at the World Indoor Championships in Spain last month, will also be available.

But Bermuda Track and Field Association president Stanley Douglas declared yesterday that the possibility of having such competitors fly in depended solely on whether sufficient sponsorship could be found locally.

"We are looking for sponsors to be able to give the public an opportunity of seeing these great athletes. A good response from the business community and the public at large is required if we are to pull this off,'' said an upbeat Douglas.

"Support of a large magnitude is necessary for us to manage an event at a high level such as the one we plan. The public have seen our experience in handling the (CAC) cross country championships, and we are now hoping that the efforts we made there will be recognised and everybody will be encouraged to come on board and help as sponsors this time.'' While the focus might be on the overseas stars, should they be confirmed, the BTFA still intend to use the event to display the talents of some of the Island's up and coming young athletes.

The youngsters have been training under a BTFA programme for several years and Douglas stressed their involvement would not be diminished in any way.

"We are trying to move the Heritage meet into more of a display of our elite talent and to give an opportunity to show off the new and up and coming talent that we have on the Island. If we are able to do this then we will be doing a pretty good job,'' added Douglas.

While in previous years the plan to include Wellman and Douglas in the Heritage Day celebrations fell through, the BTFA are confident they will appear this year.

The two athletes were recently brought home to help plan May's National Stadium meet.

"Yes, we had talks with both of them and they have basically identified some of the top players who are likely to be interested in coming to Bermuda, Conley is almost a definite,'' said Douglas.

"There is not much happening in the triple jump this year so we may have an opportunity of seeing athletes like him and Brian perform on Bermuda soil, giving us a highly competitive event for the first time.'' It was the same with the 200 metres where Troy Douglas could be tested by Stewart and Moen and also in the 800 metres where Jennifer Fisher might be given competition by a top runner from the Bahamas.

Would-be sponsors of the Heritage meet are asked to contact Douglas at 236-4476 after 7 p.m. or BTFA secretary Pat Lake on 236-3629.