significant force at this summer's Commonwealth Games in Canada.

Wellman finished first with a jump of 16.71 metres at the New York Games grand prix athletics meet, the second of 16 events on the IAAF Mobil calendar for 1994.

Named last February as Bermuda's Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row, Wellman finished ahead of Edrick Floreal of Canada, who jumped 16.50 metres while Mike Harris of the United States was third (16.34).

The 26-year-old athlete is coming off a strong year which saw him win a bronze medal at the Indoor World Championships. He also finished second at the Bislet championships and third in two other competitions in Norway and Monte Carlo.

Yesterday's first place finish puts him on course to bring home a medal at the Commonwealth Games in August.

Fourth yesterday was Joe Greene of the US (16.32), followed by Francis Dodoo of Ghana (16.22), Britain's Toni Fasinro (16.17) and LeMark Carter of the US (16.16).

Brian Wellman.