wanted to say since last January: Thank You.

Troy Douglas, fresh from setting national records in the 200 and 400 metres at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, extended his personal gratitude to the Athlete Development Committee (ADC), the latest group to help put Island athletes on the world stage.

Enjoying a rare trip home, Douglas praised the brainchild of national track and field coach Gerry Swan, director of the Bermuda Track and Field Association Gary Wilkinson, and managing director of Total Fitness Center, David Dunkley.

"It's very important,'' the 33-year-old sprinter said. "It gives an athlete a sense of identity. It really makes him feel wanted and appreciated.'' Douglas' "vacation'' ends next week, when he leaves for his training base in Holland to start what Swan called "the beginning of another contract year'' with Government's athletic assistance programme.

But these days, Government funds don't go as far, which is why Douglas and other elite athletes are grateful for the ADC, which was formed last winter to administer donations from corporations and use them to cover training and travel expenses.

Five companies have already contributed -- Bank of Bermuda, Bermuda Glass, Mutual Risk Management, Butterfield and Steinhoff and CENTRE Group -- in addition to Total Fitness, which offers the use of its services and facilities.

Other contributions are expected, said Dunkley, who says his company has a $10,000 stake in the programme.

"What we want people to realise is you can't wait until an Olympic year to express your support,'' said Allison Nash, Total Fitness' assistant general manager.

Which is where Douglas comes in.

"I'm not just an overnight success,'' he said. "It took me eight or nine years of hard work before I won my first medal at a major championship.'' One of the benefits of the programme is that it allows him free access to Total Fitness physiotherapists, nutritionists, masseuses and equipment whenever he's in Bermuda.

"It takes a big monkey off my back,'' said Douglas. "Every little bit helps and it makes my job easier.'' And Douglas' job is going very well, thank you.

He set a national record of 45.26 seconds in the 400-metres and 20.41 seconds in the 200 in Atlanta.

Douglas says he will continue to run the 400m "just for fun'' and concentrate on the 200. Still, it was the 400 in which he made the Olympic semi-finals, the third successive Games in which he's accomplished the feat. He was second in the 200m at last year's indoor world championships.

But at 33, he realises time is not on his side and he has begun branching out into coaching. He hopes to coach track and field full time once his career ends -- although that won't be until after the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

Douglas is one of several athletes taking advantage of the programme -- Kavin Smith, Mike Watson and Jay Donawa are others. Swan says athletes must reach 90 percent of the 1996 Olympic standards in order to qualify.