In the last of his profiles on Bermuda's Beijing Olympians, Adrian Robson takes a look at equestrienne Jill Terceira, flagbearer at last night's Opening Ceremony.

JILL TERCEIRA

Event: Equestrianism (showjumping)

Trainer: Trevor Coyle

Olympic Deputy Chief: Heidi Mello

Groom: Donna Maplesden

Equine Therapist: Jennifer Lamon

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Just a few weeks ago, Jill Terceira thought her Olympic dream had been shattered.

But in a dramatic turnaround, not only did she find herself heading for Beijing but also chosen as the flagbearer for last night's glittering Opening Ceremony.

Her rocky ride couldn't have had a better ending.

Now, as she takes a two-hour flight to Hong Kong, the site for all equestrian events, she'll be determined to show that the ups and downs of the last five years have been well worth the effort.

Back in 2003, Terceira was on the verge of qualifying for the Athens Olympics, when red tape prevented her from taking her horse to the Pan-Am Games in Dominican Republic, where she could seal her place in the Bermuda Olympic team.

Based in Belgium, she was told that, under European Community rules, if she competed in Santo Domingo her horse faced a six-month quarantine. And that would rule out her Olympic preparation.

Since then her goal has always been to ride in China. After qualifying at the Pan-Am Games in Rio de Janeiro last year, she believed that goal had been reached only to be told that it wasn't quite that simple.

With Bermuda allowed just one showjumper to compete on the Olympic stage, and with Patrick Nisbett also qualified, a decision by Bermuda Equestrian Federation had to be made.

The two riders would have to take part in a three-event jump-off. Nisbett came out on top, somewhat controversially in the eyes of his fellow Bermudian.

But the story had yet another twist.

Heading for one of his last warm-up events in Europe, Nisbett's horse, Antille 8, fell ill after the vehicle towing the horsebox broke down.

Reluctantly he had no choice but to cash in his Olympic ticket.

At the same time the horse on which Terceira qualified, Nevantus, was declared lame and it wasn't until the final day of qualifying, June 30, that her replacement Chaka III made the standard.

Like the rest of the Bermuda team, Terceira will concede a place on the Olympic podium is out of the question.

But after a rollercoaster career that has brought success on both sides of the Atlantic, she'll be more than happy just to take her chances against sport's very best.