King 'blessed' by Olympic inclusion

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27: Arantxa King said she’s “excited” to be given a wild card entry into the Olympics.

The long jumper missed the qualifying standard by 0.10 metres, but is still hopeful she can accomplish that leading up to the Games.

King said: “This caught me by surprise. I wasn’t aware of what was going on because I was focused on making the standard.

“This definitely takes a lot of the stress off my shoulders. My goal is to strive to make the standard because I know it’s so attainable for me. It would be different if I knew I couldn’t get it.”

This past weekend in Trinidad, King had several jumps that easily surpassed the 6.65m standard but she barely fouled on each one.

“That was encouraging because practically all my jumps were way past the mark so that was encouraging. Hopefully I can get on the board and finally make the standard.

“I feel once I make the standard, I will be way over it. Sometime when you reach a standard, you so surpass it, you kill it.”

She said making the standard would be “the icing on the cake because that’s been my goal this whole year.

“Making the standard would be amazing. Either way, I’m blessed and appreciative of the opportunity to represent Bermuda.”

Her plan leading up to the Olympics is to compete in one or possibly two meets in Canada before heading to Europe for a final tune-up meet.

“Regardless of what happens, I’m looking forward to being ready for August.”

Bermuda’s Olympic team also includes:

• fellow long jumper Tyrone Smith
• triathletes Flora Duffy and Tyler Butterfield
• sailors Jesse and Zander Kirkland
• swimmer Roy-Allan Burch
• equestrian Jillian Terceira.

Smith, Duffy, Burch and Terceira competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics for Bermuda while Butterfield represented the island at the 2004 Games in Athens.

The Kirklands, King and Jenaya Wade-Fray will be making their debuts.