That's what 'Superman' Leevan Sands was feeling last night after he secured the first medal for The Bahamas at these 29th Olympic Games here in Beijing, China.

With one gigantic leap on his third attempt, Sands ended four hurtful years and re-established himself as a force to be reckoned with worldwide. It was a national record setting 17.59 meter (m) - 57' 8-1/2" - leap, and with that, the night ended the same way the Olympic medal count started in athletics 16 years ago for The Bahamas ? with a bronze medal in the men's triple jump.

It was Frank Rutherford who got that first Olympic medal in track and field with a bronze in the men's triple jump in Barcelona, Spain in 1992, and Sands matched that bronze in the same event last night.

"I just want to thank everyone who supported me, my family, Danielle, my mom and father Leevan Sr. ? they supported me through this whole thing. I don't know how I'm going to celebrate but it's going to be nice," he said.

After his first two jumps, Sands actually sat in sixth place with a best leap of 16.91m (55' 5-3/4"). At that point, he said he knew he had a long one in him, and then finally unleashed it.

The huge national record setting leap leapfrogged him all the way into the silver medal position.

"I knew that I had a big one in me," he said. "I just said to myself, just hold the phases. I wasn't too tense ? I was nice and relaxed. I knew the big one was going to come. When I came off that hop that was it. The speed was good and I was nice and slow off the hop. All I had to do was hold the step."

He surely did.

Gold medal winner Nelson Evora from Portugal didn't take long to respond though. Moved down to third with Sands' big leap, Evora responded with a season's best 17.67m (57' 11-3/4") jump on his fourth attempt which moved him into the gold medal position. Sands was knocked down to third and remained there for the final three jumps.

Going into the final jump, Sands still sat in third place. Evora was holding onto the gold medal position and Phillips Idowu from Great Britain was in second place with a season's best leap of 17.62m (57' 9-3/4"). As they moved down the order, it got to the point where only one jumper could stop the inevitable, and it just so happened to be the most consistent jumper in the world all year.

On his final attempt to unseat one of the top three jumpers, Cuban Arnie David Girat could only muster a leap of 17.08m (56' 0-1/2"). He had a personal best of 17.52m (57' 5-3/4") on his second attempt, but failed to land a big one on his final attempt. As a result, Sands began to celebrate. A medal was his for sure, and it was just up to him to determine what quality of medal it would be with his final jump.

As it turned out, Sands was so excited to at least have the bronze, he couldn't even finish his final leap.

"I just couldn't finish the jump. I knew David was a good jumper, Phillips was jumping good all year but the only person who was also jumping good all year and was behind me was David and I was a little worried about that, but after the last two jumps, I realized that I had it. It feels great ? I had fun," he admitted.

Sands' bronze medal was the first medal of these games for The Bahamas and the ninth in Olympic history. The final seven of those medals came in athletics. Whilst overjoyed with the magnificent accomplishment, Sands couldn't help but to empathize with teammate Chris Brown who somehow lost the bronze medal in the men's 400m final on a dive. Sands watched the entire race while the triple jump event was still going on.

"I thought he might have gotten a silver but you never know what is going to happen in a final," he said. "I knew it was down to me and Chris today to get this medal for the team in individual events. We spoke earlier and we said that we have to do this, so for him to lose that way, I know it is hurtful but he did his best and that is all you can ask of him."

Nevertheless, it was Sands' moment at the Bird's Nest Stadium last night, and even this morning in Beijing, he is still enjoying it.

From not making the Olympic final in Athens four years ago, to battling through injuries, and enduring an untimely six-month suspension two years ago, the Bahamian 'Superman' is finally reaping the rewards of hard work and dedication. He has come a long way, and is just happy that all of his hard work is finally paying off.

"If I could get past what I been through, I could get past anything. That was really rough for me," he said. "I was down to the dogs. A year ago, I didn't have a dime to my name. I didn't have a contract for two years and now I am just thankful."

Now, Sands is back among the world's elite. He now has an Olympic bronze medal to go along with the World Championships' bronze he won in Paris in 2003. He got things started for The Bahamas that year, and hopefully his bronze medal leap at the Bird's Nest last night will get The Bahamas started this year.

There's only one more event for team Bahamas, the men's 4x400m relay, but The Bahamas is a strong medal contender, having come into these Olympics as the number two qualifier behind the United States. The heats of the relay get underway at 8:10 p.m. today and the final will take place at 9:05 p.m. on Saturday here in Beijing.

By SHELDON LONGLEY