The rise and fall of Brian Wellman, triple jumper exceptionale, is perhaps complete.

His faltering athletic career all but fizzled out in Sydney's Olympic Stadium on Saturday night as he failed to qualify for the final of an event in which he was once ranked second in the world.

Now aged 33 and seemingly already some years past his peak, Wellman would be 37 when the next Games roll around in Athens in 2004.

But on Saturday night's showing before a packed 117,000-strong crowd, the drive and determination, the technique, and even the contagious enthusiasm which earned him gold at the 1995 World Indoor Championships and silver at the outdoor worlds that same year, already appear to have deserted him.

The best he could muster in almost ideal conditions -- Sydney's feared Pacific winds were never a factor -- was an opening leap of 16.47 metres. He followed with 15.87 and 15.99.

It was all a far cry from the days when he would clear 17 metres without so much as breaking sweat. His Sydney best was almost one and a half metres shy of his personal best 17.72. In Atlanta four years ago, Wellman placed sixth in the final with a disappointing leap of 16.95 metres.

On Saturday, 16.95 was the automatic qualifying mark and the Arkansas-based Bermudian never came close. As he left the stadium, Wellman appeared as confused as he was dejected.

But he admitted a summer of inactivity, when he skipped the European circuit following a dispute with his agent and decided to train at his home in the US, had been a factor.

"No doubt,'' he said. "That didn't help.'' "But I don't know,'' he added with a shrug of the shoulders. "I just wasn't loose. Maybe I need to break my back. I just couldn't get off the board. The frustrating thing is that I have put some big jumps together this year, 17.6, 17.8, but I've fouled out. And then when I've hit the board there's been nothing there.

"I just didn't have anything tonight.'' As for his future, Wellman said: "We'll sit down and talk about it. I don't want to make any decision just yet.'' In a large qualifying field of 40, split into two groups, Wellman placed 11th in Group A but was listed 20th overall.

Only 12 went through to today's final, eight of them going over 17 metres.

Other casualties included American Le Mark Carter (16.47) and Cuba's Michael Calvo (16.30).

Even world record holder Jonathan Edwards needed two jumps to make the grade, having to play second fiddle to his Great Britain team-mates Onochie Achike (17.30) and Philips Idowu (17.12). Edwards followed an opening leap of 16.9 with 17.08.

However, he remains the gold medal favourite.

And at the post-event press conference, he appeared at ease. "I'm relaxed. I feel good,'' said Edwards. "It was fantastic that the younger guys did so well. I think Britain will do really well. It's great that three of us will be in the final.'' Brian Wellman: failed to qualify for the Olympic triple jump final after falling nearly 1.5 metres short of his best.

ATHLETICS ATH