Experience could be the key to a good showing by Bermuda's young gymnastics team at the Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg, according to coach Walid Mustafa.

Of the five gymnasts who flew off to Canada yesterday to represent the Island, three -- 18-year-olds Leila Wadson and Laura Murphy and 15-year-old Christina White -- competed in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia last September.

And their first taste of competition at the highest level was made tougher by having to compete alongside the home nation's gymnasts in front of a noisy and partisan 15,000 crowd at the imposing Putra Stadium.

Mustafa is counting on the trio who came through that nerve-wracking day to score strongly and help their younger team-mates, Sasha Christensen and Alex Froncioni, both 13, to stand up to the pressure of top international competition.

"I'm anticipating a good Games for us,'' said Mustafa. "We don't measure ourselves by the place we finish, but by the progress we have made since last year. That is the yardstick we should use.

"Laura, Christina and Leila are the highest level gymnasts in Bermuda and I will be looking for strong performances from them.'' Mustafa felt last year's experience in Kuala Lumpur had washed over his team, rather than overwhelmed them.

"Walking out for that opening ceremony in front of 100,000 people was amazing, but I don't think they really figured it out. When they get older, I think they'll have a different perspective on it and appreciate the magnitude of what they did,'' he added.

Murphy has been studying in England and competing for one of the top gymnastics teams in the country, Park-Wrekin, this year. She helped them to third place in the British National Championships in April.

In March, Murphy took the honours as highest-scoring gymnast at the British Independent Schools Championships and she trains with some members of the British national squad.

"Laura has been training with athletes at a higher level than herself and that will definitely have helped her. Now I'm looking forward to her being a team leader,'' said Mustafa.

Wadson has recovered from a shoulder injury to take her Pan-Ams place. Mustafa said she "did her physio obsessively'' to get fit for Winnipeg and the problem appeared to have cleared up.

Mustafa had no fears about Christensen's ability to stand up to what he called her "first major test''.

"Sasha is a natural competitor -- some kids are born with it, but some kids are intimidated by competition. The bars and beam are good events for her and I'll be looking for solid scores from her,'' said the coach.

Froncioni was delighted simply to be on the plane yesterday. Her eligibility to represent Bermuda was in doubt, as she is a Canadian citizen who moved here as a small child.

PASO, the Games organising committee, finally issued a ruling in her favour only last Wednesday.

Mustafa said Froncioni had stood up well to difficult circumstances.

"It's been an emotional rollercoaster for her,'' said Mustafa. "At times, she's been in tears. She's been training hard with the others and the thought of them going to the Games without her was not comforting.

"We stayed positive and though it was difficult for her to keep training while thinking maybe it wouldn't happen. I stressed to her that she was a team player and she had to be prepared to go, whatever.'' Froncioni qualified for the Pan-Ams with a fine performance at the Bermuda Triangle meet in February and Mustafa expected her to perform well in Winnipeg.

Fighting fit: Eighteen year-old Leila Wadson will compete at the Pan-Am Games next week after battling back from a shoulder injury.