rigours of college life.

However, the student/athlete took time out to give the public a glimpse of his running talents with an emphatic win in the Olympic Club 5-K road race held on Sunday.

Donawa beat top runner Tracy Wright into second place by 25 seconds in the event as he clocked 15:45 for the course.

"It was a pretty good race,'' said Donawa, a sophomore at Central Oregon College. "It was my first race here (in Bermuda) in two years and I wanted to show the public that I was still running.

"I respect Tracy as a good runner, but knew that coming off a good season I would be hard to beat''.

Indeed the 19-year-old Donawa, whose performances throughout his primary and secondary school years earmarked him as one to watch, has been quite active throughout the 1991-92 school year starting with cross-country from September to November.

A time of 24:06 over eight kilometres proved the highlight of the early season and he capped things off by winning the regional meet in Rexburg, Idaho.

After spending the Christmas break on the Island with his family, Donawa returned to school for the spring semester and trained for three months before starting the outdoor track season in March.

This training began to pay dividends by the end of the month as Donawa recorded personal bests in both the 1,500 and 5,000 metres -- his premier event. He blazed home in 3:53 in the former during a regular school meet and at the Oregon Preview Meet he lowered his time in the latter with a 14:41 clocking.

"I'm hoping to drop my 5,000 time down to the 14-minute barrier and try and get in the big meets like the Commonwealth Games, Pan Am (Games), World Championships and the 1996 Olympics,'' said Donawa, a Sports Management major.

"I ran a 14:41, which for me was okay. But I think by next year I'll be older and more mature and be able to run a sub-14 minute for the 5,000. If I can run more consistently I'll be able to compete on an international level''.

Donawa won the 5,000 at the Region 18 Championships and followed with a second-place finish at a national meet in Odessa, Texas, to end the season. He rates himself among the top 25 runners in college and appears to have the numbers to back it up.

The youngster said that he does a lot of "high quality training'' at Oregon under the watchful eye of track coach Mike Dilley.

Said Donawa: "We're focussing on building up more leg speed.

"My problem up to now has been low concentration and he (Dilley) has been helping me work on that through visualisation drills, which involve me going out on a mat for five minutes before training and just breathe and visualise races''.

Watching local athletes like Brian Wellman and Clarance (Nicky) Saunders compete at the top level has served to inspire Donawa, who would like one day to see himself front and centre on the international stage.

"Growing up I've always looked at tapes and stuff of guys competing at the Olympics and other meets. I hope that some day it will be me appearing, which would be the ultimate highlight to my career''.

Donawa said that he will probably compete in one or two more races before returning to school in early September.

JAY DONAWA -- Enjoyed a successful season at Central Oregon College.