THERE'S a lad at Bolton Harriers who is just five yards behind World and Olympic champion Maurice Greene over 100m.

Michael Smith is 22, he has been the fastest man in Bolton for five years, he is the fastest man in Greater Manchester and the third fastest in the North.

He has knocked three tenths of a second off his personal best this season and his progress shows no sign of slowing up.

Don't worry if you haven't heard of him, athletes don't get help or recognition in this country.

Guess how much financial help he has had over the past eight years? You're right - nothing at all.

He has done his degree and, sooner or later, knows he will have to get a job to secure his future.

In the meantime he is having to risk his future and do without money as he attempts to reach the top in athletics.

Michael isn't the only budding top athlete in the town. There are a good half dozen who are very close to making it, athletes who are in the top 15 to 50 in the country already and crying out for help to get higher.

The Bolton Arena has improved facilities for some but for many the facilities they have to work on are third rate and they get no support - either financial or advisory - from the authorities.

These are all youngsters who could be running, jumping or throwing at the Olympics one day, make no mistake about that.

If they were footballers of equivalent standard they would have had money thrown at them throughout their formative years and would be earning millions of pounds a year by now.

If they were American, Russian or Chinese athletes their talent would be recognised and nurtured, they would be encouraged and financed and given every assistance to realise their potential.

In England and in Bolton we don't even know who they are let alone do anything to help them. No wonder so many are lost to the sport.

You can get sports grants these days for setting up scuba diving clubs and developing netball in a school so why can't we identify and give a little bit of extra help to athletes with serious potential instead of leaving them to starve in search of success?