HE had only been back in Bermuda for less than a week but former top Olympic sprinter Troy Douglas still found time to go up to the National Sports Centre to help out with a track meet.

Douglas, who made it to three Olympic semi-finals in the 200 and 400 metres, may now be a Dutch citizen but he still has Bermuda at heart.

And although he has not been back to his native soil for two years, the 43-year-old has followed the sport in Bermuda.

"My ear is to the ground ? I know what is going on in (track and field) in Bermuda," said Douglas who returns to Holland any day now after a short holiday to see family.

"Everyone is a critic when it comes to track and field in Bermuda but I believe action speaks louder than words. When I was up at the track meet on the weekend at the stadium I did not see one of those critics up there helping. Personally I just went up there to help out my niece and I ended up being one of the officials. It was something I certainly didn't mind doing. After all if it wasn't for track and field no one would know Troy Douglas and I have no problem giving back to the sport which has given me so much. But I do have a problem with people who are so quick to criticise. When you need help those people never seem to be around and I don't like that. I would rather lend a hand to help someone than criticise them first. Outside of the Dutch, Bermudians are the best critics around!"

And Douglas backs track and field national coach Gerry Swan. "Gerry is doing all he can," said Douglas. "If I am back in Bermuda Gerry knows I will help out and he gives me a free hand because he knows I am 100 percent positive ? he gives me the freedom to say what I need to say to the kids. We need to help them as much as possible. I try to direct them."

Douglas was part of Bermuda's golden generation of track athletes ? he along with high jumper Clarence (Nicky) Saunders and triple jumper Brian Wellman flew the flag around the world for Bermuda at the Olympics, Pan Am Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships for years.

"I know that Nicky helped a lot when Bermuda held the Carifta Games and now he lives in England. Brian lives in Arkansas but when he comes back he is ready to help and so am I. You have to give back to this sport and not just criticise everything. That proves nothing."

Of Bermuda's up and coming track and field athletes going to the Commonwealth Games, Douglas said: "These kids are brilliant and have a lot to offer. If we are serious in investing in these young kids we need to help them and the coaches as much as possible. Hopefully they will get the most out of these Commonwealth Games and prepare for the next competition."

Douglas also won a 2003 World Championship bronze medal for Holland in the 100 metres relay after initially finishing fourth. They were promoted to third after Britain were stripped of the silver medal when one of their runners, anchor Dwain Chambers, tested positive for drugs (THG).

Douglas had his first taste of international track and field when he was 16 years old at the Carifta Games. From then he never looked back.

He finished his career running for Holland at the Athens Olympics.

Now he runs his own one-man business giving speeches and clinics to companies.

He said: "I am hired by companies to work with their managers who may have problems with their staff. Most companies want to be better and I try and help them get there."

He added: "I have worked with banks ? all sorts of companies. I am hired to talk to the staff ? I try and help them work together, teach them about team work and how a manager plays the role as a coach."

It was after the 2003 World Championships success that work started to come in. "I have a very strong story because in the 2003 World Championships I was captain of the relay team. I was the most vocal, the most exciting person for media and that story related to business world ? especially my role as captain. I was the person between the players and the technical staff and the federation and the Olympic federation. I wore many hats and you get a lot of experience and learn how to use those hats. That is what I try to do when I give my workshops."

He also coaches track athletes ? something he has been doing since 1996. "In fact I became a better athlete after I started coaching," he said. "I looked at the sport totally differently. I always knew I had pretty good teaching ability but I didn't know how to apply it. Now I do and I have always had good communication ability. You just learn more every day."

He also coaches two football players ? one playing in England and the other playing in Holland. "I can't, for various reasons, say who they are but I work with them on strength, speed and conditioning. Football has changed over the years ? it is now faster and you have to be stronger. I design programmes for them for their styles of play. It is a lot of watching, listening and learning."

He works with the Denhaag Track Club in his home town of Denhaag. "I help coach some of the top women athletes in Holland. I help in fine tuning them and also with the technical aspects of the sport which includes the mental preparation. We finished 1, 2, 3, 4 in the (Dutch) indoor championship season this year ? and it was the third year back to back that we have done it and that I am proud of."

Asked about the $11 million Bermuda's World Cup bound cricketers have received he said: "That is great. But I hope they realise the responsibility they have. They have to really work hard ? harder than they ever have because this is a great opportunity for them. They have to put everything into preparing for it ? everything."

Douglas also admitted that it was cricket which is his first love. "That is my favourite although I am a sports freak," said Douglas, the brother of former Bermuda wicket keeper Alan Douglas.

When he returns to Holland Douglas will again get back to speaking Dutch, thinking in Dutch and dreaming in Dutch!

"I do speak fluent Dutch now. For the first year and half it was a bit difficult but I have always wanted to learn another language," he said.

Douglas' website is www.troydouglas.nl