Bermuda’s triathlon squad will be without Karen Smith and Julia Hawley at the NatWest Island Games next week.

Both were forced to withdraw due to injury: Smith with a nagging foot injury that didn’t heal in time for the Games and Hawley with an injured back and virus that left her unable to train for the event.

This is a blow to Bermuda’s medal chances as a once strong women’s team will now be unable to compete in the team event.

Bermuda took silver in the women’s team event in the 2013 Games in Bermuda. The men’s team just missed the podium, coming in fourth.

Bermuda is left with Bermudian national champion Martina Olcheski-Bell and Belinda Castree in the women’s individual event and Tucker Murphy and Travis Cooper in the men’s event.

The triathlons will take place on June 28 in Jersey on a tough triathlon course featuring a 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run. The men start at 12:15pm and the women at 12:30pm Bermuda time.