athlete will tonight emerge as Athlete of the Year -- under a newly introduced category.

Three women -- Merernette Bean-Simmons in 1982, Jennifer Fisher in 1985 and Watson four years later -- have won the award.

However, a recommendation was made last year by the Awards Committee to then Sports Minister Tim Smith that a female Athlete of the Year Award be introduced. Tonight, at the sports awards ceremony at the Hamilton Princess, the first winner will be crowned along with the male Athlete of the Year and other award recipients.

In total there will be 17 awards handed out in six categories, one male and female athlete of the year, two special achievement awards, five achievement awards, five sport citations and three appreciation awards.

Brenton (Anthony) Roberts, director of Youth Development, Sport and Recreation, and chairman of the Awards Committee, acknowledged the achievements of women in sport, not just as participants but also in the area of administration. He pointed to the fact that three of the Island's football clubs, Devonshire Colts (Sonia Holder) PHC (Doronda Smith) and BAA (Donna Maiato), had female presidents.

"We, the committee, recommended to the Minister that there be a male and female athlete of the year in recognition of the status that women's sports has attained in this community,'' said Roberts yesterday.

"We have a healthy core of women who are administering sports in Bermuda, whereas in other countries they are finding themselves legislating the rights of women to participate in sports.

"In Bermuda we haven't had to do that because there has been a healthy involvement of women in sports for some time.'' While athlete of the year is the most eagerly anticipated announcement, Roberts said it was also important to appreciate the contribution that others made in the area of administration.

"For the people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make it possible for so many people to enjoy sports, some will be recognised,'' he said.

The ceremony is in its 16th year, having started back in 1981 with high jumper Clarance (Nicky) Saunders emerging as the first winner.

Saunders, with four wins in the first ten years of the awards, was the most successful Bermuda athlete prior to the 1990s, when another track and field athlete, triple jumper Brian Wellman, started his rise to prominence.

That success abroad resulted in four straight awards since 1992 and Wellman is again among the contenders for the top award this year.

Last year at the Olympic Games, Wellman placed sixth, disappointing by his own expectations but still the highest placing by any Bermudian at the Olympics since Clarence Hill's 1976 bronze medal in boxing.

Wellman's year included wins at events in Texas, Germany, Spain and Switzerland and he placed in the top three at nine Grand Prix events in 1996.

He ended the year with a fourth-place finish at the IAAF Grand Prix finals in Milan, Italy.

Also expected to be in the running for male Athlete of the Year is sprinter Troy Douglas, who set two national records at the Atlanta Olympics with times of 45.26 in the 400 metres and 20.41 in the 200 metres.

Another Olympian, cyclist Elliot Hubbard, who has also been competing abroad with distinction and recently turned professional, is in the running.

The two leading contenders for the female Athlete of the Year are Fisher and sailor Paula Lewin, who finished 14th in her class at the Olympic Games. In the world match racing rankings released last November she was rated second in the world.

Fisher was outstanding in both local and overseas track events, setting three college and six personal records.

The awards committee comprises two representatives from the sports media, two persons who are directly related to Olympic sports and two individuals from non-Olympic sports. The Sports Advisor acts as secretary.

AWARD AWD