-- despite having competed for Ireland as a youth.

Kane, son of World Rugby Classic organiser John, has applied to the Bermuda Track and Field Association to be considered for selection.

The 18-year-old, currently at school in Ireland, cleared the qualifying level for the Games during competition at the All-Ireland Championships and again at the Three As meet in Birmingham, England, where he won the silver medal.

His top jump is 2.12 metres, two centimetres higher than the qualifying standard of 2.10m. Kane has an astonishing record in competition, having failed to medal only once in over 50 events.

His father said: "He would get in the Irish team but he was born here and has spent all of his life here except when he's been at school.

"He is still eligible to represent Bermuda because he has only represented Ireland at the youth level and you're allowed to duplicate. But after that he has to make a decision.'' "What we have done is made an application to the BTFA for certification.

Unfortunately Ronan was only home for a short time over Easter and did not have a chance to meet with them. But they have arranged a meeting when he comes home at the end of June.'' Kane is coming to the end of the indoor season in Ireland and moves into outdoor mode a week on Saturday. It is his first season back since suffering a knee injury playing rugby last year.

"He goes to Blackrock College, which is the premier rugby school in Ireland, but he made a big decision not to play rugby this year,'' John Kane said.

Ronan first took up the high jump when he was at school at Saltus but it was when he moved to Blackrock, in Dublin, at the age of 13 that he blossomed.

"They discovered he had a talent for it and developed it,'' John Kane added.

Ronan has only competed on the Island once, in the Bermuda Championships where he easily won his main event as well as capturing the javelin gold.

The only stumbling block is likely to be whether the national federation in Ireland will release his registration to enable him to compete for another country.