Two Bermuda Track and Field Association officials will leave next Tuesday for Puerto Rico where they will take part in an IAAF Electronic Timing and Starts Course run by the world governing body.

Roger Lee, who is largely responsible for BTFA meet and road race results, and Mike Watson will join several other officials from the region at the IAAF's Development Centre where they will learn how to operate the new equipment which will be mandatory at all international meets sanctioned by the IAAF.

"We are pleased to have them go there. It's imperative that we have people capable of handling such equipment, especially since new rules that came into effect in January of this year state how essential it is to use electric timing and how important it is to learn how it affects starts and everything else in the sport of track and field," said BTFA president Judith Simmons.

Last summer West End Athletic Club president Clarence Smith publicly called on Government to purchase such equipment for the National Sports Centre, making his plea while Finishlynx Electronic official Dwight Robins of the US was here to help officiate at a junior track meet.

Robins is currently on the Island again to help out at tomorrow's third annual Bank of Bermuda Foundation West End Athletic Schools Track and Field Challenge at the Sports Centre with the same equipment.

According to Simmons, the BTFA and the Bermuda public have previous knowledge of the equipment, having seen it used here during International Race Weekend.

And she admitted that Government and the trustees of the Sports Centre had been approached about the need to have such electronic timing and other equipment available in time for Bermuda to host the CARIFTA Games next year.

But she emphasised that it wasn't just about getting electronic timing, pointing out that such equipment was merely one of many items required by the governing body to stage international meets.

"Electric timing is not something used in isolation, it has to be used with other pieces of equipment and with rules and regulations that the IAAF has put in place. Yes, it will be great to have electric timing but you must also have wind gauge equipment with it because if you don't operate a wind gauge it doesn't matter what the electronic timing says,. the timing is not going to be valid," explained Simmons.

"All of the related pieces will be vital for CARIFTA, that's for sure. We presented a budget and costs to Government and the trustees for all of this necessary equipment last August and we are waiting to see how things turn out. We will have to get it whether it means renting or purchasing."

The president noted that without electronic timing, any records set would not be ratified by the IAAF.