American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Puerto Rico later this month.

Chef de mission Stanley Douglas confirmed to The Royal Gazette last night that Kavin Smith, Jennifer Fisher and Terry-Lynn Paynter will comprise the small track team which is due to depart on November 18 in a Bermuda team totally more than 60.

Fisher, competing in the 800 metres and 1,500 metres, and Paynter (javelin) are perceived as being the most likely to win medals after some fine performances at the CAC Championships in July of this year.

Both earned silver medals in Cali, Colombia, with Paynter's achievement all the more remarkable considering she had taken a two year break from competition after showing much promise early in her career.

"Both are looking forward to the Commonwealth Games and want to do well (at CAC) and continue their improvement as they build toward next year's event, so that they might do even better there,'' said Douglas, who is also the vice-president of the Bermuda Track and Field Association.

Meanwhile, Smith, the dean of local road and cross country running, will find it tough going up against many of the elite runners from South and Central America, particularly Mexico.

"Distance running in the area is very good and it will give Kavin a chance to measure himself well against good competition,'' said Douglas.

"For Kavin this is his first CAC Games and we hope he can learn from this experience more about running track again.'' Douglas emphasised the magnitude of this event, especially as the Spanish-speaking countries gear their programmes toward it. He noted that each will likely send their top stars and no "second stringers''.

And while admitting that it would have been preferable to have a few more track and field athletes in the party he explained that this was made difficult by the timing of the Games at a period when most are just returning to their training schedules.