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Athletics

Outlook: In 16-year-old long jumper Arantxa King Bermuda has it’s best medal prospect since 1998 when tenpin bowlers Antoine Jones and Conrad Lister surprised with a silver.

King’s personal best jump of 6.39m, a shade under 21 feet, would have put her in the top five at the last two Commonwealth Games.

Her track coach at Medford High in Boston believes she is the best prospect he has ever seen and has a real chance of making the podium.

She’s already a junior world champion and things can only get better.

Ashley Couper is hitting her peak at the right time and set a new national record in the mile recently.

Her current personal best over 1,500 metres would have put her in the top ten in ‘02, but she’ll need to chop a few seconds more off that time to challenge for a podium spot.

Of the rest Latroya Darrell and Zindzi Swan are excellent prospects in the high jump and will be fighting it out to set new personal bests and maybe even a national record.

Michael Donawa will have similar ambitions in the 800 metres.

The competition: Canada’s Carmen Douma and Hayley Tullett of Wales, who won silver in Manchester, will be among a tough field for Couper in the 1,500m while Australia's Bronwyn Thompson is the Commonwealth record holder in the long jump. Kerrie Taurima of Australia and England’s Jade Johnson should also be competitive.

Elsewhere on the track the main excitement centre’s around the fastest man in the world, Jamaican Asafa Powell who will be going for gold in the 100m.

Competitors: Arantxa King (long jump), Ashley Couper (1500m), Latroya Darrell, Zindzi Swan (high jump), Michael Donawa (800m).

Officials/Coaches: Judith Simmons (manager), Gerry Swan (coach).

Cycling

Outlook: Tyler Butterfield's experience on the semi-pro circuit in Europe has elevated him to the status of Bermuda’s big hope.

But it would still be a major shock if he were to get among the medals in a field that includes some of the world’s best.

Geri Mewitt’s preparations for this event have been good and he is a canny rider who could do well if the breaks go his way.

Butterfield won the Bermuda Grand Prix in 2004. Grand Prix organizer Peter Dunne believes both men have an outside chance — although there will be better riders in the race.

“This is a big event but strange things can happen in a bike race. Geri and Tyler will certainly work for each other while Julia will be on her own against several large and capable teams.”

He said it was a great experience for Julia Hawley, but she would have her work cut out riding on her own against talented cyclists who would have other riders working for them.

“Qualifying and participating in a race like this is a big accomplishment. It’s a wonderful thing just to be there,” he added.

Despite the odds being against them, anything can happen in a single race.

“I’m sure Greg Hopkins will rally the team to work the race conditions to their best advantage. Heck, it’s a one-day race and stuff happens,” added Dunne.

The competition: Australia have the strongest team but are unlikely to complete the bonanza of 2002 when they took 10 out of 17 golds.

A lot of the top names are not competing because of their ties to professional teams. Russell Downing is probably the best of the English team. The Australian team boasts the likes of Allan Davis, Simon Gerrans, Mathew Hayman, Ben Day and William Walker. Big Canadian names are Gord Fraser and Geoff Kabush.

In the women’s event world number one Oenone Wood of Australia is going to be tough to beat. Defending Commonwealth Games winner Nicole Cooke of Wales and Canada's Lyne Bessette, in Bermuda last September for CD&P Grand Prix, is one of the most dominant female cyclists in North America.

Competitors: Julia Hawley, Geri Mewitt, Tyler Butterfield

Officials/Coaches: Kris Hedges (manager), Ricky Sousa (coach), Greg Hopkins (manager).

Gymnastics

Outlook: This is a level above and beyond what Bermuda's young gymnasts have experienced before.

But they are a hugely talented bunch and have been training and competing at a high level for years.

They picked up a ton of medals at the Island Games where young Kaisey Griffith, 13, was the star.

Games president John Beard, who was there to see Griffith pick up six medals, reckons she could be a real star in the making.

“I think they might do better than people give them credit for. They might even be in with an outside chance of a medal.

“Obviously, Australia, Canada and England will be very strong but they are not going to disgrace us. They might not get on the podium but they won’t be too far away.”

Speaking from Melbourne yesterday, coach Tina Williams said the girls had settled in well and were putting the finishing touches on their routines ahead of the competition.

The team will be looking to improve on their two previous game showings in which they finished last and next to last.

The competition: The Aussies have a strong team with Monette Russo, a bronze medallist at the World Championships, their most experienced competitor. Canada are also expected to pick up some medals in the gymnasium.

Competitors: Caitlyn Mello, Hannah King, Kalena Astwood, Casey Lopes, Kaisey Griffith (all individual and team).

Officials/coaches: Melissa Bigsby (manager), Michelle Strenk, Tina Williams (coaches)

Shooting

Outlook: The shooters are Bermuda’s most experienced Commonwealth Games squad with eight previous appearances. Having said that, the team will have done well to finish in the top 50 per cent — something they have yet to accomplish.

Carl Reid, who represented Bermuda in the ‘94, ‘98 and ‘02 games, said a good goal would be for the guys to finish in the top 10.

He added that the team have traveled extensively in their games build-up with competitions in Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad, Canada and the U.S.

This will be Nelson Simons fourth Commonwealth Games. Back in 1994 he participated in both the small bore and full bore events, but will be concentrating on the full bore in Melbourne.

The Competition: England, South Africa and Northern Ireland dominated the events at the 2002 games and could book repeat tickets to the podium.

Competitors: Sinclair Raynor (small bore pairs and singles), Ross Roberts (small bore pairs and singles), Nelson Simons (full bore pairs and singles), Walter Trott (full bore pairs and singles).

Officials/coaches: Lloyd Evans (coach, small bore), Norman Pogson (coach, full bore), Neville Trott (manager).

Squash

Outlook: In Nick Kyme and James Stout Bermuda has two quality squash players who have experience on the pro circuit.

Unfortunately for them, the games boasts some of the world’s best players. Both have a good chance of making it past the first round in the singles.

Kyme has been drawn an unfancied player from Malawi while Stout has a somewhat tougher assignment against a Kenyan player.Unfortunately, once they get past that stage they’ll be up against the cream of the crop. Both would face players in the top 20 in round two.

Bermuda director of squash Ross Triffit thinks they’ve got a much better chance in the doubles where they are seeded 11th in the competition.

“Doubles is a different game and you do see guys in the top 20 get beaten more regularly,” he said.

Kyme and Stout should make it past the group stage into the second round where they will face a pair on a similar level to themselves. If they go on to the quarter-finals, though, they’ll have to beat some of the world's best to make it to the semis and the podium.“They’ve got a slim chance in the doubles. They could be very competitive in that event but it is still going to be a huge task for them.”

The competition: Bermuda based Aussie David Palmer is the number one seed and favourite to take the singles title on his home turf. Canadian world number one Johnathon Power has retired and Egyptian Amr Shabana is obviously ineligible. The rest of the world’s top ten is there with names like Lee Beachill and John Nicol familiar to many Bermuda squash fans from the PSA Masters.

Competitors: Nick Kyme, James Stout (singles, doubles)

Officials/Coaches: Denise Somers .

Swimming/Diving

Outlook: Bermuda's not really looking at bringing home a pot full of medals in swimming despite having some very promising young athletes in the pool.

Bermuda’s best chances lie with Kiera Aitken in the 50m or 100m backstroke and Ronald Cowen in either the 200m or 400m freestyle.

Both are hoping for a semi-final berth with an outside chance of making the final.

All of the swimmers, who have come through the ranks together, are fancied to make personal bests or set new national records.

“That will probably be more of a target for them than making the semi-finals,” said swim coach Cathy Cowen.

Katura Horton-Perinchief, best known for being the first black to dive at the Olympics, will also compete in the diving.

She competed at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, but failed to qualify for the finals. She is much improved since then and should move up several places in the results.

The competition: The competition is likely to be fierce with the Aussies in particular boasting some of the best swimmers in the world. The absence of the mighty Ian Thorpe, who raced against Cowen at the last games, is a blow to the competition but the home-nation should still dominate in the pool.

Competitors: Kiera Aitken (50 back, 100 back, 200 back, 50 free) Michael O' Connor (50 back, 50 fly, 100 fly) Ronald Cowen (50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, 50 fly, 100 fly, 100 back) Graham Smith (100 breast, 200 breast, 100 free, 200 individual medley), Katura Horton-Perinchief (one and three metre diving).

Officials/coaches: Marybeth Aitken (manager), David Fry (coach) Ellen Kate Horton (diving manager) Terry Faulkenberry (dive coach).

Triathlon

Outlook: Karen Smith finished 15th in Manchester 2002 and is looking to do even better than that this time. Flora Duffy at 18 has enormous potential and is expected to be among the strongest swimmers in the field. Whether that can help her win a medal is doubtful, but she is likely to be among the leaders after the swim. The competition should be good experience for her and she will no doubt return as a genuine medal hope in future games.

Coach Steven Petty says neither of the women expect to be on the podium but he believes they will surprise a few of their better-known competitors.

Both will at least be looking to set personal bests and finish as high up the field as possible.

The competition: The triathlon promises to be one of the closest-fought events with the Australians aiming to clinch their first golds at a major games from a host of New Zealanders and Britons. Men’s favourites include the New Zealanders Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell. In the women’s event, Australia have a strong medal contender in current world No 1 Annabel Luxford.

Competitors: Flora Duffy, Karen Smith.

Officals/Coaches: Steve Petty (manager), Rich Brady (coach). Neil De Ste Croix (manager).[[In-content Ad]]

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