In 403 days, Patrick Singleton expects to be in Italy with an outside-chance of an Olympic medal.

But between now and then, the Bermudian skeleton athlete faces tough training and touch choices in his uphill battle to reach the top of his downhill sport.

Once the British Championships, in which he has a realistic chance of a medal, are out the way, Singleton is facing somewhat of a dilemma over how to spend the following weeks.

World Cup nations have been invited to a test event on the Torino track where his Olympic dream could come true in 2006, although as a ?small nation? participant, Singleton isn?t invited.

His invitation, along with the other small nations competitors, comes a few weeks later, unfortunately clashing with the World Championship qualifiers.

?These are awkward choices I have to make,? said Singleton, back in Bermuda over the festive period for family reunions and, more importantly in his medal quest, meetings with the Bermuda Olympic Association.

?One of the problems of competing as an individual against athletes involved in teams and large associations is that there are times when I am at a disadvantage ? not getting an invitation to Torino that week is one of those occasions.

?It might be more than a year until the Games, but athletes who have driven the track will have a year to think about the course and how they want to drive it, how to take the curves and what the best line is. They can play it in their heads over and over again before the competition.

?That is something I can?t afford to miss out on. Hopefully I will be able to sneak an invitation by posing as a member of another team, if that is the only way to keep up with my competitors.?

The next logistical problem facing the solo athlete is qualification for the World Championships.

The worlds have been his aim for the season but an unfortunate quirk in the qualification system leaves Singleton with having to qualify in Konigsee, Southern Germany, and then make it to Calgary for registration for the main event within 24 hours.

This travel nightmare is leaving the athlete having second thoughts about his original season goal, when another visit to Torino is possible that week, which could boost his long-term ambitions.

?It is all a bit complicated and something I am going to have think very carefully about,? said Singleton, whose driving skills and summer training schedule have boosted him into a top-15 finisher in nearly ever event he has competed in so far this season.

?The world championships have been my aim all season but maybe I will have to sacrifice them for the small nations? practice sessions on the Olympic track and also avoid the crazy rush to get from Germany to Canada in such a short time.

?The way the sport is run, sometimes the actually skeleton side of it is the easy bit.?

Once he has coped with the dilemmas of the next six weeks, it is off to Calgary for the summer and serious training on his start ahead of the Olympic season.

Singleton, regarded as one of the best drivers on the international circuit, suffers from a weaker start than many of his competitors, the main factor holding him back from regular podium finishes ? something he is hoping to resolve in the off-season.

?I did a lot of work last summer on my start, but there is more to do,? he continued.

?I am happy when it comes to my driving skills, I can beat most of the guys out there competing, but I need to work on my start if I am going to make it to the top of this sport.

?The summer is going to be spent at this great push facility in Canada and hopefully I can go into next season much faster off the start.?

So with just over a year to go before his date with Olympic destiny, is a medal a possibility?

?There is an outside chance,? he added.

?If I can get faster off the start and the track in Torino is more of a drivers? track, then, yes, if I have a good run, why couldn?t I win a medal??