yesterday as track and field stars Brian Wellman and Troy Douglas announced their withdrawal from the Games.

Each cited the risk of potential injury as well as fatigue as mitigating factors, coming off recent participation at the World Indoor Championships in Barcelona, Spain.

Wellman, who captured the triple jump gold medal with the fifth best jump ever (58 feet, 13 inches), is nursing a sore left hamstring and has been advised to skip the event currently taking place in Argentina.

"I talked to Anthony Phillip, head of the BTFA delegation in Argentina and told him that my doctors suggested that I stay in Arkansas and get treatment for my hamstring and get healthy,'' said Wellman from his Arkansas apartment.

"I'm still high on what I did indoors where my goal was, after qualifying and seeing how I jumped, to break the indoor world record. I wanted to break the indoor world record and then go to Pan-Ams to break the outdoor world record in the same month. I know that's never been done before.

"I was trying to make some history. But I came up a couple of inches short and then comes the deal with my health. It's been a slight setback. I know that Bermuda feels proud about my performance in Barcelona and I was hoping to go down to the Pan-Ams and put the cherry on top of the icing on the cake.'' Now Wellman faces an immediate period of rehabilitation and rest before resuming training for the outdoor season, with his next scheduled competition not for another two months.

Meanwhile, Douglas, a silver medalist in the 200 metres (20.94 seconds), has similarly been told to "take it easy'' for the next several days after straining ligaments behind both knees.

He is currently at his base in Holland recuperating while contemplating his next move.

"The day after the competition on the weekend there was a hamstring soreness because I did three races in three days in Barcelona,'' explained Douglas.

"The straightaways were long but the curves were tight and put a lot of pressure on my tendons and made my hamstrings sore.

"I came back to Holland to see my doctor and he said to take it easy for 10 days, because if I go to Argentina and race I risk tearing my hamstring and probably be out for the rest of the season...and I just cannot afford that.'' Stan Douglas, president of the Bermuda Track and Field Association, confirmed the athletes' withdrawals, noting the damage it would do to the Island's medal chances.

And while disappointed, he noted injuries as being part of the `game', something that was often unavoidable.

"They really tried to hold out as long as they could, we knew Brian was doubtful but Troy wanted to wait and see if he could make it after all,'' said Douglas, himself a former sprinter.

"I guess it's a case of `what can we say'. It's a bit of a disappointment because they were our best hopes for medals, hopefully the other two will carry it off (Armstrong and Fisher).

"The Pan-Am Games were very important to these guys. All we can do now is wish them the best.'' Troy Douglas Brian Wellman