will not be part of the Island squad for the forthcoming CAC Games.

Couper, who runs middle distance, has been in tremendous form for Stanford University in California and broke the Bermuda national 1500 metres record twice in a matter of days recently. She was also just two-tenths of a second outside the national 800m record the weekend before last.

The Games take place in El Salvador in July and although a squad has yet to be chosen, Couper is already well inside the qualification times set down by Bermuda Track and Field Association.

In the 1500m the time for women is four minutes and 46 seconds and the 800m standard is two minutes and 14 seconds.

Couper's 1500m record, set at the Cardinal Track and Field Invitational at the beginning of the month, stands at 4:20.59. Her personal best in the 800m -- 2:05.82 -- was set at the Cardinal Qualifier at Stanford on May 12.

Couper was reluctant to go into the details behind her decision not to compete, but said it was for "personal reasons.'' Meanwhile, her track form continued at the weekend when Stanford took part in the Pac-10 Conference meet.

The University's women came third overall, while the men took the top spot.

"I ran the 1500m with three other Stanford girls and we went one, two, three, four,'' said Couper. "I was third and we all ran under 4:19 which is an automatic qualifier for all of us for the NCAA's.'' Those championships take place in Eugene, Oregon, at the end of the month.