With his gold medal triumph at the World Indoor Championships a fading memory, Bermuda's triple-jumper Brian Wellman has set his sights on an even bigger goal.

And while significant accomplishments on the indoor circuit this winter have enhanced Wellman's growing reputation and stature within his discipline it is outdoors where the glamour really lies.

Though not meant to diminish the local athlete's achievement in Barcelona, Spain, where a leap of 17.72 metres (58 feet, one and three-quarters inches) -- the fourth best in history -- brought home a gold medal, an even bigger challenge awaits outside.

"Well, I guess the only thing to exceed what happened indoors would be to win outdoors and break the world record,'' said Wellman yesterday, taking a break between work-outs at the University of Arkansas. "That's the way I'm going into it (outdoor season). I feel I have to think that way because if not then how can I achieve those exact things? "Obviously indoors there were some (top) people missing, but that's not to say it would have made any difference in the results.'' Pending is a match-up against reigning world champion Mike Conley of the United States. But it is unlikely that the pair will meet until the World Outdoor Championships, scheduled for August in Goteborg, Sweden.

Conley is a training partner of Wellman's at Arkansas and is regarded as the best in the business, so he stands as the perfect barometer for the Bermudian athlete.

To be number one Wellman must beat Conley, period.

This year the American is said to be taking part in only a few meets besides the Goteborg one, with his focus on next year's Atlanta Olympics.

"I think Mike will be there when party time arrives outdoors,'' said Wellman, working toward graduation in December with a major in drafting and minor in business.

"Me? I'm doing everything to achieve what I've set out to do which should make for an awesome championships.

"There's a lot of competition out there and I'm going in with the same mental attitude as indoors.

"As I've said, my goal is to go into the championships and get a world record, but whatever comes of it I'll give it my best shot.'' One problem Wellman should not have to face is fatigue, with meets involving triple jumps generally spread out because of its lack of Grand Prix membership.

Wellman added that the recent anxiety over his sore hamstrings and subsequent withdrawal from the Pan American Games had been somewhat overblown and that he was in perfect health right now.

"I think the situation with my hamstrings was over-emphasised,'' said Wellman. "It was more a case that if I had competed in Argentina the prospect was for me really damaging something.

"My hamstrings, while they still get sore, are not a major problem because I did give them some rest.'' Emphasising the point was Wellman's most recent outing at a meet in El Paso, Texas -- his first of the outdoor season -- where he placed first, uncorking his second longest jump of the year of 17.62 metres (57 feet, 93 inches) which he termed "a pretty awesome opener.'' Next up for the Bermudian is a meet in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia next month.

EYEING THE GREAT OUTDOORS -- Brian Wellman started his outdoor season with a "pretty awesome'' first place finish at El Paso, Texas.

Brian Wellman's results in 1995: 1. Fayetteville, Arkansas (1st place) 17.18 metres (56 feet, 41 inches) 2. Moscow, Russia (1st place) 17.07 metres (56 feet) 3. Grenoble, France (1st place) 17.47 metres (57 feet, 33 inches) 4.

Stuttgart, Germany (1st place) 17.05 metres (55 feet, 111 inches) 5. Berlin, Germany (1st place) 16.86 metres (55 feet, 31 inches) 6. Lievin, France (3rd place) 16.91 metres (55 feet, 5 inches) 7. Birmingham, England (2nd place) 17 metres (55 feet, 91 inches) 8. Stockholm, Sweden (3rd place) 16.66 metres (54 feet, 8 inches) 9. *Barcelona, Spain (gold medal) 17.72 metres (58 feet, 13 inches) 10. El Paso, Texas (1st place) 17.62 metres (57 feet, 93 inches) *--World Indoor championships