Brian Wellman is hoping shoes -- and not surgery -- will help him overcome a painful foot injury that caused him to drop out of the World Indoor Track and Field Championships.

National track coach Gerry Swan said that Wellman would have a pair of specially-fitted shoes made rather than undergo corrective surgery for bunions on the ball of the large toe on both feet.

Wellman withdrew from the triple jump competition after an awkward plant during his second qualifying attempt in Paris just over a week ago.

Swan, who accompanied Wellman and sprinter Troy Douglas to the championships and watched the event from the stands, said the 1995 world indoor champion jammed his right toe against the board during the second phase of his jump.

Wellman followed through with the jump but with a distance of just 15.62 metres, second last among the 26 entrants.

"It was obvious from the expression on his face that he was in a great deal of discomfort,'' said Swan.

Said Douglas: "It wasn't a pretty sight.'' Swan said Wellman took his shoe off afterwards, rubbing his foot. He later attempted his third qualifying jump but aborted before taking off and pulled out shortly afterwards. Wellman's foot was swollen and lacked mobility, Swan said.

"The decision (to withdraw) was correct and prudent under the circumstances,'' said Swan. "Why put himself at risk for the outdoor season?'' Now taking a break before the start of outdoor training, Wellman is faced with normal or laser surgery to correct an ailment that has plagued him all his life. However, a doctor who treated Wellman at the championships tipped him off about a shoe insert and Wellman is in the process of having a mould of his foot made, Swan said.

"When you think of the hundreds of thousands of jumps he's made, this was only the second time he's been adversely affected in competition,'' said Sawn.

A former triple jumper himself, Swan said the precise nature of the sport and pressure placed on the foot makes it surprising more injuries do not occur.

"You have to appreciate the tremendous and unique stress put on a triple jumper's legs,'' he said.

Watching the triple jump finals with Wellman, Swan said the athlete was "disappointed'' at being unable to compete -- especially seeing distances that did not come close to the 17.72 metres that won him the gold medal in Barcelona two years earlier.

Even his bronze medal jump of 1993 would've won a medal this year. Cuban Yoel Garcia won this year's gold with a jump of 17.30 metres. Wellman reached that distance in his first qualifying jump but it was disallowed because he fouled by "less than a toenail,'' Swan said.

Disappointment for Wellman, however, was tempered by enthusiasm for Douglas, who, at age 34, finished fourth in the 200 metres -- after running a personal best time of 20.77 seconds in the heats. Swan concurred with Douglas, who figured that a different lane assignment -- tight corners make it difficult running in the inside three lanes -- would have resulted in a medal.

"When you think of it, we have two athletes who have established national records many other countries would be glad to have,'' said Swan.