A few days after her son accomplished his greatest feat in track and field by winning a gold medal at the World Indoor Championships in Barcelona, Brian Wellman's mother was still a little lost for words.

Tremendous euphoria over her son's stunning triumph not only has gripped the Wellman household, but is a prime topic in the offices of the Bermuda Track and Field Association and the Department of Youth and Sports.

"I spoke to him on Monday night, he was overjoyed and really excited and all of us here are just as happy,'' said Gloria Wellman yesterday.

"I couldn't believe it when I heard the news. I said to myself, `he really did it, he has been working towards it for a long time.

"At first it took a long time for it to sink in that he did it.'' The joy surrounding Wellman's gold medal was tempered slightly with news that the three-time Bermuda Athlete of the Year may not compete at the Pan-American Games in Argentina because of an injury he suffered in Spain.

His leap of 17.72 metres (58 feet, 13 inches) landed him first place and the effort was also the best in the world this year. It was also the second best jump in indoor history and third best ever .

BTFA president Stan Douglas said that Wellman has always been capable of doing something great.

"I was overwhelmed. But not really so surprised because he has been so consistent the last two years...always in the 17 metres area and that's the point where you have to reach when you want to go to another level,'' said Douglas.

"You have to be able to establish yourself at one level and he has established himself among the top 10 triple jumpers in the world, that's saying a whole lot.'' Brenton Roberts, Director of Youth and Sports, was just as pleased and suggested that he knew of no other small country that could boast to having so many quality athletes such as Wellman and Troy Douglas, who won a silver medal in the 200 metres at Barcelona.

"It's unheard of, Bermuda does so well for a small community by producing athletes like these two and the Peter Brombys, Elliot Hubbards and Jennifer Fishers,'' said Roberts.

Wellman's mother said that her son's feat would help to give him a boost for other events that he planned to enter this year, possibly the Pan-Am Games if he can shake off an injury, the World Outdoors in Europe later this year and the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, where a full contingent of family members intend to make the trip.

"Next year there are so many of us going to Atlanta for the Olympics, we went to the Commonwealth Games in Canada last year and enjoyed it,'' said Mrs.

Wellman.

The BTFA president, meantime, noted that Wellman's latest performance had already made a positive impact internationally as Primo Nebiolo, the president of IAAF, told BTFA vice president Norbert Simons, who was in Barcelona, that the medal triumphs were a "great performance by the Bermuda team.'' "I think Brian's jump itself will make him a candidate for the number one ranking in the world this year, nobody has jumped that far in quite a few years and that in itself is a major accomplishment,'' said Stan Douglas.

"If he can do anything like that at the World Championships then he would have put his name in the same category as the Mike Conleys and other great athletes out there today.'' Stan Douglas felt that the performance of Troy Douglas was one that reflected consistency even though it wasn't anywhere near a personal best.

"In order for one to get through the rounds in the sprints you have to be consistent and Troy has been just that. His consistency has enabled him to make it to the finals of every major competition he has been in the last two years,'' said Stan Douglas.

"That may reflect something big for him later on. He has a lot of opportunity left in him, the silver medal performance probably booked a passage for him to the World Championships.'' The sports director recalled how Wellman, during the recent sports awards ceremony, stated that he was "going for it all this year''.

"It is consistent with Brian's aggressive attitude about the sport that he participates in and does so well that recognition is now given to him as having won the World Championships in the triple jump,'' said Roberts.

"He is a very fierce competitor. It was nice for him to put it all together in Barcelona and the performance must lift his spirits. We certainly are very, very proud of him for what he has done.'' Similar accolades were accorded to Troy Douglas.

"I know that he is capable of running even faster and we look forward to seeing him in the finals in Argentina. I watched him at the Commonwealth Games and know that his time in the worlds was somewhere near those he had in the heats at the Commonwealth Games and if he can duplicate it then he will be in a good position to place in Pan-Ams.'' The fact that Bermuda athletes grabbed major honours at an international meet on the same weekend was something that Roberts viewed as being extraordinary.

BRIAN WELLMAN -- Enjoying his gold-medal moment.

1995 PERFORMANCES 1. Fayetville, Arkansas 17.05 metres (55 feet, 11 inches).

First place. 2. Moscow, Russia 17.07 metres (56 feet). First place. 3.

Grenoble, France 17.47 metres (57 feet, 33 inches). First place. 4. Stuttgart, Germany 17.05 metres (55 feet, 113 inches). First place. 5. Berlin, Germany 16.86 metres (55 feet, 31 inches). First place. 6. Lieven, France 16.91 metres (55 feet, 5 inches). Third place. 7. Birmingham, England 17 metres (55 feet, 91 inches). Second place. 8. Stockholm, Sweden 16.66 metres (54 feet, 8 inches). Third place. 9. Barcelona, Spain 17.72 metres (58 feet, 13 inches).

Gold medal. Top Five Jumps Ever 1. Leonid Voloshin, Russia 17.77 metres (58 feet, 33 inches). Indoors.

2. Mike Conley, United States 17.76 metres (58 feet 31 inches). Outdoors.

3. Brian Wellman, Bermuda 17.72 metres (58 feet, 13 inches). Indoors.

4. Denis Kapustin, Russia 17.62 metres (57 feet, 93 inches). Outdoors.

4. Yoelvis Queseda, Cuba 17.62 metres (57 feet, 93 inches). Indoors.