Olympic Games in Barcelona last month, recorded his finest victory last night in the IAAF Mobil Grand Prix final in Turin, Italy.

Wellman leapt 56 feet, seven-and-a-quarter inches (17.25 metres) to win the season-ending competition from a stellar field that included Olympic champion Mike Conley and bronze medallist Frank Rutherford.

The 24-year-old Bermudian had never before beaten Conley, his assistant coach at the University of Arkansas, but on this night he not only did that but also extended his Bermuda record by one centimetre. Wellman placed fifth at the Olympics in 17.24 (56-63 ).

Rutherford was second last night in 17.15 (56-31 ) while Conley, who was denied the world record in Barcelona by a 2.1 wind reading, was a disappointing sixth in 16.76 (54-113 ).

Leonid Voloshin, of the Commonwealth of Independent States, another athlete Wellman had never beaten and fourth at the Olympics, finished third on 16.99 (55-9). American Olympic silver medallist Charlie Simpkins, the only other to place ahead of Wellman in Barcelona, did not compete.