BERMUDA'S world-ranked Star sailor Peter Bromby finally managed a bullet yesterday when he won the ninth race in the waters off Athens. And then he followed that up with a third place in the afternoon's race (the tenth of the regatta).

But for Bromby and crewmate Lee White it came a little too late as the fates conspired against him in the second race of the day which saw the leading top three boats finish in the top four places. Now Bromby, who was ranked third in the world going into these Olympics, will be fighting to further move up the standings and also for pride in Saturday's final race which will see the end of Bermuda's participation at the 2004 Games.

Bromby, who turned 40 years old yesterday, said: "It was a better day today. In our first race (ninth of the regatta) this morning we led from start to finish. We were going incredibly fast ? we wanted to make a statement. But in all fairness the second race was better because although we finished third, we rounded the first mark in 14th place. We just clawed our way back. There were no major wind shifts or anything ? we just nibbled away at the guys bit by bit. In my mind it was a better result and we were also within two boat lengths of winning the second race. That is how tight it was."

At the second mark in yesterday's afternoon race Bromby and White were still languishing in 14th place but by the third mark he was in ninth place and then the duo really put the metal to the pedal and rounded the last mark in sixth place before clawing three more places to finish in third place.

Yesterday's two superb results came on top of the fourth and sixth place they managed on Wednesday.

Bromby said: "After that horrible first half of the regatta we decided that we would treat the second half as a different regatta and to my mind at least we have been winning the second half."

Of yesterday's first and third finishes Bromby said: "It has been a long time coming. We have been pretty patient waiting for today." Casting his mind back to last Saturday when during the first race the bolts which were keeping their chain plate intact, snapped, Bromby said: "It was unbelievable. We were so well prepared and for that to happen...it was mind boggling. It wasn't even windy ? there was no reason for that to happen. We have been sailing this boat in 20-25 knots and this happens in 10 knots! I don't know how you can prepare against that happening. We had been over every physical bolt that we could see and these things you can't even see. For the second race we had no option but to jury rig it.

"That was just a horrific start and when it happened I felt like crying. It was so disheartening. But that is the way it goes. We are so disappointed with the overall regatta but the most we can do is go out and do the best we can. And I feel that our results today have put some respect back into our regatta."

Of the final race on Saturday, Bromby said: "We are going to go all out (to win it) and try and do the best we can. I think it would be a tall order to finish fourth overall but what are our options ? we are out of the medal hunt."

Things may have been a little different had not the top three boats in the regatta ? the Brazilians, the French and the Canadians ? had not done so well yesterday but they finished in the top four places.

"The French and the Canadians both had good days and to be quite honest at some other time maybe things could have gone a bit better for us there and we could have still been in with a chance for a medal but they sailed very well and knocked us out of a medal."

Of the Brazilian duo, Torben Grael and Marcelo Ferreira, who wrapped up the gold medal yesterday, Bromby said: "You have to take your hat off to them. They sailed a great regatta and often they had to come from deep like we did today in the second race where we rounded the first mark in 14th place and finished in third. They always nibbled their way back into it."

The Brazilians will not have to race on Saturday. "They will be in a bar enjoying themselves," laughed Bromby.

Grael made history by becoming the first man to win five Olympic medals in sailing by clinching the gold yesterday. He was Olympic champion in 1996 and won the bronze in Sydney when he led going into the final race but was disqualified for a false start, scuppering his hopes of successive golds.

The six-time Olympian, nicknamed "Turbine", also won silver in the Soling class in 1984 and bronze in the Star in 1988.

Grael surpasses Dane Paul Elvstrom, a four-time Olympic champion, Ukraine's Valentin Mankin, then competing for the Soviet Union and German Jochen Schumann, who all have four Games medals to their name.

Bromby was hoping to see the gold medallists last night as well as the rest of the sailors in the Star class. "It is my 40th birthday today so we are having a little celebration at the house. Then tomorrow (rest day) we will catch ourselves and then go back at them on Saturday."

Bermuda's Chef de Mission, Phillip Guishard, said from Athens: "Peter is really starting to show what he can do ? and how good he is. Unfortunately it looks like it may come a little late. But he was unlucky ? there is no doubt about that. We all know what happened on the opening day of racing but we also know that he and Lee are capable of winning medals. The first day was a real problem and there was nothing he could do about it. The problem occurred and he couldn't rectify it for the second race. That sets you right back. But the other results (on Wednesday and yesterday) shows that he is world class but it may be a little late. But everyone is in good spirits around here."

Bromby will be hoping for his second bullet of the regatta tomorrow to finish these Games in top form. His finishes in Greece have been 17, 16, 8, 11, 12, 10, 6, 4, 1 and 3.

Bermuda's other athlete in action yesterday was triathlete Tyler Butterfield who finished in 35th place in the stifling heat watched by his father, former Olympian Jim and mother, top distance runner Debbie.

While Butterfield was the youngest athlete in the field at 21 years old and also the lowest ranked at 238 in the world, he beat a number of very much higher ranked athletes ? people like Martin Krnavek from the Czech republic who is ranked 18th in the world, Brazil's Juraci Moreira who is ranked 26th and Marc Jenkins from Great Britain who is ranked 27th.

Winning the gold medal yesterday was New Zealand's Hamish Cater in one hour, 51 minutes and 7.3 seconds. Butterfield was seven minutes 19.26 seconds behind.

Tyler's father, former Olympian Jim Butterfield who was watching his son compete in Athens yesterday said: "He had a great event. He was about two minutes back on the swim and then everyone broke into three larger groups (for the cycle). He got into a group of about a dozen and had a good ride and a good run. All in all a good day for him."

Tyler's weakest event is the swim but his strongest is the cycle ? and that is where he usually makes up time on other triathletes.

But father Jim said: "It was very tough to make up time on this course. The hills made this one difficult ? there were two massive climbs on the course and normally he would make up time but on this course there was no way he could. The lead pack was also moving away from the group ?it was just that kind of course."

Of the heat he said: "The race started at 10 in the morning and it was really hot and got hotter as the day when on. The sun was cooking the whole time. But Tyler just kept dumping water on himself. I thought that during the run he was feeling the heat but he told me later that it didn't bother too much ? he said it was like running in Bermuda. He has also been training in Australia which is hot and he had been out here (in Athens) so he was very familiar with this heat."

Like other young athletes from Bermuda, a taste of these Olympics has made Tyler hungry for more.

Jim Butterfield said: "Most of the top triathletes are between 27 and 33 years old and Tyler is the youngest here in Athens at 21 years old. I think he will want to be in Beijing in four years time. He is feeling pretty good about himself."

And Tyler father, who competed for Bermuda in rowing in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, said: "He has a lot to thank Greg Hopkins (who helps coach him on the bike) and Patty Petty (who helps a lot with his organisation) for. If it was not for Greg and Patty I think he would have still been in Bermuda."

Tyler will stay on for the Closing Ceremonies and then return to Bermuda to get ready for the Bermuda Grand Prix later this year. "Then he will return to Australia for training," said Jim Butterfield, adding, "the people here in Athens have done a great job in organising these Games. It has been a great experience for everyone."

On Wednesday Bermuda's sole diver in the Games, Katura Horton-Perinchief, became the first black diver at the Olympics. Katura, 21-years-old, finished in 30th position during the three-metre springboard event.

And like Tyler Butterfield, competing in her first Olympics has made her hungry for more.

"I would love to go to Beijing," she said. "I am still young. A lot of the divers here were older than myself. I feel I have a few Olympics left in me ? there were competitors in the field who were 30 and 31 years old and some of them have been to two or three Olympics. In fact one of the girls is competing in her fifth Olympics! I was trying to fight with my nerves and she was just doing her dives. Hopefully next time I will have more experience."

The university student said that although her diving was "OK, it could have been better".

She added: "But I am happy with my placing."

Katura scored the best on her first three dives of the five required.

"I was first up and my nerves were horrible. I was shaking ? it was so crazy! That was the first hurdle ? it was hard but after that I was fine. The next two dives were good. The fourth was so so and the fifth one I missed a little bit. I definitely should have done better on those last two."

The meet took three hours and Katura said she doesn't talk much during the long wait between dives.

"I read a book," she said.

Her choice for Athens was Dan Brown's bestselling thriller The Da Vinci Code. "It's great book," she laughed. "I just started it. I love it already."

Now she is looking forward to seeing other events and going to the Closing Ceremonies where she will be the flag bearer.

"It is going to be a great experience. I was here for the Opening Ceremonies and it was fantastic. I came erarly and I will leave late ? this the Olympics after all."

And next month it will be back to her studies. She will be starting a graduate degree at George Washington University in Washington DC on a diving scholarship.

Watching Katura in Athens was her mother Ellen Kate Horton and father Phil Perinchief along with her Bermuda coach Terry Faulkenberry.

Her uncle, Minister of Home Affairs and former top sportsman Randy Horton said this week: "I am very proud of Katura ? in fact the whole family is proud of her. It takes a lot to get to the Olympic Games and I believe she is the only diver from the Caribbean to get to Athens. Katura has really dedicated herself to the sport. It takes so much work and sacrifice to get to the Olympics. I don't think many people appreciate how much one has to work to get to the Olympics. She has given up a lot. While her friends are going out and having fun Katura is often training hard. She really wants to be the best that she can be and she represented Bermuda very well. I am really over the moon about her competing in the Olympics and I hope she can keep going and make it to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing."