BARCELONA -- The tireless efforts of the Barcelona Olympic Organising Committee (COOB'92) are clearly paying off.

The COOB'92 has already captured the hearts of the Bermuda contingent in the Olympic village and though a few of the athletes are still to arrive they should quickly be put in a like frame of mind by qualities necessary to win the adoration of a Bermudian -- good cooking, friendliness, clean facilities and more good cooking.

The sailing team were the first to arrive last week and have been put through their paces by national coach Chuck Millican on a daily basis. They were soon to be followed by triple jump hopeful Brian Wellman and the swimming team, who checked in yesterday.

Sprinters Dawnette Douglas and Troy Douglas and high jumper Clarance (Nicky) Saunders are due to arrive in the next two days as are the beleaguered equestrian team of Mary Jane Tumbridge, Nicola DeSousa and Suzanne Dunkley.

The horseriders have been devastated by the loss of inspirational leader Peter Gray, a two-time Olympian, who suffered a near-fatal fall last week and is recovering in England.

Chef de mission Jimmy Amos, vice president of the Bermuda Olympic Association, is the welcoming committee for the Bermuda athletes and he will be the first to tell the newcomers how superbly the Olympic village is run.

"The effort is extremely good on their part, the buildings are all brand new, every stick of furniture is brand new,'' said Amos. "We've got good cross ventilation, so it's a cool accomodation.

"There is no air conditioning so we have a couple of electric fans but so far in the evenings it cools off to a very pleasant 75 degrees. It must be cvlose to 90 in the day but it cools off and is very pleasant overnight.'' Then comes the food. Amos does not have to worry about over-eating, so he can abuse his diet throughout the next three weeks, but there is a mild concern about the athletes.

"The food is incredibly good. They apparantly have had something like 70 French chefs brought in for the duration to prepare this food and you can really eat too much. So I think the coaches are going to have to be careful with these guys.

"Most of them are self-disciplined, with their experience and all, so there shouldn't be any problems. But if one doesn't have that willpower you can certainly `pig out' and eat more than you should.

"But the nutrition is here. They are using pastas and low-fat, but they've also got smoked salmon and pate and you can really get into it. The problem here is that you can walk past any corner and you've got a coke machine with free coke...that's another danger.'' Thousands of volunteer staff are available in and around Barcelona to provide services for the athletes, officials and media representatives until August 12 when each of the three major villages are expected to close.

For example, the chaperone of Bermuda's chief delegates is 20 year old university student Maria Esteban Bruguera, who is fluent in four languages, not including her native catalan and second language Spanish.

"They have been training for three to four years for this and they are very willing to help,'' added Amos. "They are officially expected to work a 12-hour day and sometimes they are willing to work longer. I can't say enough about them.'' Amost confirmed that the athletes have settled in very well. "Typically, a guy like Brian Wellman. He was in early because he had just finished competing in Nice, France. He is a world traveller now....these fellas are extremely self-reliant and are accustomed to moving on their own. They're very mature and very professional.

"The sailors have been here since the village opened on July 11, so they are well entrenched. We also have Mary Frances Gaglio, the chef d'equipe of the equestrian team and track and field coach Gerry Swan arrived this afternoon.'' BOA president Austin Woods and secretary-general John Hoskins are also here and they will pay close attention to today's Commonwealth Games meeting when either Malaysia and Adelaide (Australia) will be selected to host the 1998 Games.

JIMMY AMOS -- Bermuda's chef de mission.