the Pacific northwest with a meet in Seattle tonight as she seeks to make the 800 metres qualifying standard for Bermuda's Commonwealth Games team.

Fisher, for more than a decade one of the country's top track athletes, has never competed in the Commonwealth competition. She is a two-time participant in the World Track and Field Championships (Helsinki, 1983 and Rome, 1987), ran at the 1987 Pan-American Championships in Indianapolis -- and is a seven-time medallist at the CAC Games.

A spot on the Commonwealth Games team would round out her running resume nicely. "That really would make her the comeback kid,'' said husband Eddie yesterday. "She's coming back this time from having three children, and of course she was affected greatly by the death of (her child) Justin. If she qualified for the Commonwealth Games, that would really be something.'' The goal tonight at the Seattle International Track Classic is a time of 2:08.0 or better, the qualifying standard set by the Bermuda Olympic Association for the August Games. Twice in the last week, Fisher has been within a whisker of that time. She won a meet in Port Alberni, B.C. in 2:08.81 six days ago and finished Saturday's race in Victoria in 2:08.65. With the exception of two races, they are the fastest 800 metres times of Fisher's career.

Those two narrow misses left Fisher downcast on Saturday evening. But looking on the bright side, she ran two strong races in four days.

"The good thing about that is it shows consistency,'' Eddie said. "She's run 2:08 twice under conditions that weren't exactly optimum. It was pretty cold and wet for both meets, and Jennifer can definitely improve on those times.'' "When I won the Heritage race in Bermuda a month ago, I ran a 2:10,'' Jennifer said. "I've knocked off quite a bit of time since I came away -- a second a lap. I've got plenty of time to get it down a bit more. At least I'm going in the right direction.'' Tonight's meet is likely Fisher's last on this tour, regardless of her time.

It will be her eighth race in just over two weeks, and fatigue is becoming a factor. There's a financial price to pay, too, as the Fishers have been away from their business for nearly three weeks.

"It can get expensive,'' Eddie said, "and that's why we're appreciative of the help given to us by the Bermuda Track and Field Association, Pure Water and Northwest Airlines. Without their help, we just couldn't have come away.

We're grateful for that.'' If she is unable to meet the standard tonight, Fisher said she will set her sights on a meet at McGill University in Montreal on June 27, where her quest to turn back the clock will continue.

JENNIFER FISHER -- in Seattle tonight.