Clarance (Nicky) Saunders is back on the international scene -- not as a high jumper, the discipline in which he established himself as one of the world's best, but in the 400 metres hurdles.

Saunders set the Commonwealth Games high jump record when he won the gold medal in New Zealand in 1990, but his jumping career was effectively cut short because of knee problems in the last couple of years which required surgery.

Now the four-time Athlete of the Year is back as the the most experienced man in the five-strong Bermuda team which departed last night for the CAC Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala.

As well as the hurdles, which he began taking seriously about a year ago, Saunders will also be part of the 4x400 metres relay team which includes youngsters Davon Bean, Marco Perinchief and Atiba Tucker.

The fifth member of the squad is middle distance runner Michael Donawa who will take part in the 800 and 1500 metres.

Bean will compete in the long jump, triple jump and possibly the 100 metres while Perinchief will also run the 800 metres and Tucker the 200 metres.

The squad is accompanied by national coach Gerry Swan and manager Anthony Philip. Competition takes place between Friday and Sunday.

Two other athletes who the BTFA had hoped to include in the squad, experienced runners Kavin Smith and Jennifer Fisher, were both unavailable (see story below).

Bermuda Track and Field Association president Stanley Douglas said yesterday he felt the four youngsters represented some of the best athletic talent on the Island while even Saunders, who is running in the 52-second range, could be a medal contender.

At the recent National Championships, Saunders had a hand-held time of 52.5 seconds and subject to ratification this will be a new Island record.

"If his progression continues we might see him at the highest international level again,'' said Douglas. "There is a lot of hope there for him and the rest of the athletes are developing athletes who have shown a lot of promise and one would identify them for the future, like the Commonwealth Games.

"This is a good opportunity for Michael. He's shown a lot more determination since coming back from Carifta where he was tripped and I think he's got a bit more determination.

"Hopefully we'll end the season with some extremely good performances that will put these guys' names in the reckoning for elite athletes support. I think that qualifying alone for the CAC should identify them for that.

However, that has to go through the BOA (Bermuda Olympic Association) who will determine their eligibility.'' Sprinter Troy Douglas and triple jumper Brian Wellman are Bermuda's best known athletes at present, having established themselves internationally at the highest level, but Douglas felt there was new talent about to emerge.

"We have some quality athletes in our programme,'' said the president.

"Clarance's performance in the 400 metres hurdles is equal to none other seen in Bermuda in a long time.'' "Frankly I believe that Nicky is likely to be a medal winner,'' said Douglas.

"There are four or five countries that have some extremely good hurdlers, Jamaica one of them and some of the Spanish speaking countries.

"Our hope is that he'll make the final and come close to 50-flat and that would let him know exactly where's he's going.'' NICKY SAUNDERS -- from high jumper to hurdler.