compete for the most lucrative prize in athletics next season in the "Golden Four'' series of meetings, it was revealed yesterday.

The men's triple jump has been named as one of the 10 disciplines in the series where athletes compete for a share of a jackpot of 20 one-kilo gold bars, worth around $250,000.

Ufa, the German company which sells the television rights for the meets in Oslo, Zurich, Brussels and Berlin, said the other "Golden Four'' men's events were the 200, 800 and 3,000/5,000 metres, the 400 metres hurdles and the discus.

The women can win the gold in the high jump, 100 and 1,500 metres and the 100 metres hurdles which should attract top athletes such as American sprinter Gwen Torrence and Irish middle-distance star Sonia O'Sullivan to the meetings.

The race for the gold will intensify when the athletics go to Europe after the Atlanta Olympics. The jackpot will be decided at the final meeting in Berlin at the end of August.

When contacted at home Wellman said that he had expected the discipline to be ratified as one of the "Golden Four'' events from talks he had with various meet organisers in Europe during the past season.

"It's just deserved,'' said Wellman. "I don't know why it took so long, because they've had long jump included for the last four years which I thought was unfair.'' And with triple jump also being a Grand Prix event this year Wellman was bracing for a huge season that will hopefully see him compete at the Olympics in Atlanta, eight Grand Prix meets in Europe and the Grand Prix finals.

"I'm looking at 10 meets that I ultimately intend to win,'' he said. "It's really good having so many opportunities out there and all the incentive and money they provide, but it's all based on performance.''