bowling -- at the World Games currently taking place in Cary, North Carolina.

Anthony Tacklyn struck gold and Seon Smith grabbed the silver in the singles event, and the pair then teamed up to win silver in the doubles.

Bermuda's two representatives in ladies' bowling tied for fifth in the singles and were last night competing in the doubles.

The four Bermudians, competing against Special Olympians from some 30 countries, are accompanied by their coach Sharon Simmons and Bermuda's National Director of the Special Olympics, Robin Ingram.

This year's Games have been plagued by misfortune. A 14-year-old athlete died in his sleep, a volunteer collapsed and died at the opening ceremonies and four competitors disappeared.

Aimed at the developmentally disabled, the event has brought together nearly 70,000 people from around the world for nine days.

Organisers said yesterday that deaths and disappearances could happen when so many people -- several with special medical needs -- were involved.

"It's important to remember that this is a global movement,'' said Timothy Shriver, president and chief executive officer of Special Olympics Inc. "We have thousands of events a year, and periodically we have tragedies occur.''