WORLD MASTERS GAMES REGISTRATION NOT MEETING EXPECTATIONS

          About 3,200 athletes have registered for the Nike World
     Masters Games in Portland this August, "far fewer" than the
     25,000 event organizers had anticipated, according to Rachel
     Bachman of the OREGONIAN.  But, organizers say that they can
     still "reach their goal" and that "regardless of the
     numbers, the event can be successful."  The Masters Games is
     an Olympic-type event, "generally for athletes ages 30 and
     older," but has no qualifying standards.  Anyone who pays a
     $200 registration fee can enter an event.  Games Dir of
     Communications Susan Carpenter said that in addition to the
     3,200 registered, "about 5,000 athletes" have committed but
     not completed their registrations.  The registration
     deadline is May 31.  Carpenter added that due to the Asian
     economic crisis, organizers have scaled "back" estimates of
     foreign athletes from 50% to 40% (OREGONIAN, 3/23).