top overseas athletes for the annual Heritage meet.

But this Friday evening's event will still go ahead as planned at the National Stadium with the spotlight turning to Bermuda's own promising junior athletes at primary and high school level.

BTFA president Stan Douglas, the meet organiser, confirmed yesterday that the likes of American triple jumper Mike Conley, Jamaican sprinter Raymond Stewart and Geir Moen of Norway, the gold medallist in the 200 metres at the recent World Indoor Championships in Spain, who were all among those targeted by the association, would not be coming.

It now also appears certain that top locals, triple jumper Brian Wellman and sprinter Troy Douglas, will be among the absentees although Wellman is on the Island until next Tuesday.

"As of right now nobody has contacted me to let me know what the situation is,'' said Wellman yesterday. "I haven't prepared my training, or myself mentally, to jumping.

"Right now it's not high on my list, as far as where I am in my training schedule. I don't want to take off a couple of days of training in order to jump on the weekend, not that it would jeopardise my season or anything.'' Douglas explained it was difficult to get sponsorship to help cover the cost of bringing in top names. What funds the BTFA does have are geared towards youth development.

"We're never going to have high profile people unless we get major sponsorship,'' said Douglas, who also saw last year's ambitious plans hit by a lack of financial support. "Our association can't afford it, we're working just to keep the event going.'' The Heritage Meet was started as a means to showcase the talent of high jumper Clarance (Nicky) Saunders who had just returned from winning the Commonwealth Games gold medal in New Zealand in 1990. Friday's meet will start with the high jump at 6.30.

"The Heritage Meet will never be without the high jump,'' Douglas insisted.

"It was the whole reason for it, to profile the highest level international athlete that we had.'' Wellman, who has replaced the virtually now retired Saunders as Bermuda's most successful athlete, had been working with the BTFA in trying to get his main rival, and friend, Conley here to compete against him in what would have been one of the feature events.

Wellman's next meets will be in Czechoslovakia on May 30 and Moscow on June 5.