Long jump and triple jump competitor Arantxa King, considered one of Bermuda's best hopes for the inaugural Caribbean Games next month, has had to withdraw from the team.

Bermuda Olympic Association (BOA) issued a statement yesterday announcing that King would no longer be able to compete because of school commitments.

And there are also doubts over high jumper Latroya Darrell and middle distance runner Harold (Tre) Houston, according to the BOA, although the association did not elaborate.

The only athletes confirmed so far are Aaron Evans (800 metres), Shianne Smith (heptathlon), Tyrone Smith (long jump) and Sean Trott (half-marathon).

US-based Tyrone Smith competed for Bermuda at last summer's Olympics in Beijing while Shianne Smith was originally named in the squad which will travel to Aland in the Baltic Sea for the Island Games which start later this month.

Teenager Trott put forward his credentials with a superb fifth-place finish at the recent May 24 Marathon Derby.

Accompanying the athletic squad will be manager Branwen Smith, coach Bill Euler, chef de mission and Richard Johnson.

The first Caribbean Games are being held in Trinidad and Tobago from July 12 to July 19.

Bermuda will also be represented by a tennis team consisting of Gavin Manders, Jensen Bascome, David Thomas, Caitlin Gordon, Tara Lambert and Jacklyn Lambert, who will play in both singles and doubles.

Coleridge Place has been named as manager and Steve Bean as coach.

Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney and Permanent Secretary Kate Horton along with BOA president Judy Simons and BOA General Secretary Phil Guishard will also attend the Games.

The Caribbean event will be preceded by the Island Games from July 27 to July 4 when Bermuda will be hoping to make a big impression as they prepare for hosting that festival in 2013.

Bermuda are sending more than 100 competitors to the Games to take part in nine sports – archery (male and female), athletics (male and female), basketball (male), golf (male and female), gymnastics (female), sailing (male and female), shooting (male), swimming (male and female), volleyball (male and female.