BERMUDA will hopefully have track athletes for the very first time at the 2007 Island Games in Rhodes.For the past two Island Games Bermuda has competed in no track athletes attended which was a cause for consternation for organisers who believed that Bermuda could pick up a number of medals in athletics.

Now the new head of the Bermuda Track and Field Association, Clarence Smith, said the BTFA would give their full blessings to any athlete who wanted to attend.

“In fact my son (May 24 Marathon King Kavin Smith) has indicted he may want to go,” said Smith.

“We are not necessary sending a team but in the past what has happened is that the BTFA would not support (or sanction) athletes going.”

Now Smith said he and the association would not stand in the way of any athlete wanting to compete and would in fact encourage athletes who want to go.

“I will be sending out entry forms to the clubs — in fact to anyone who wants to go and they can get together as a team.

“We did agree in the meeting that the BTFA would support them. It could be Masters athletes, senior athletes or juniors — in fact my son has indicated that he would like to go.”

The general secretary of Bermuda’s Island Games, Jon Gazzard, said this week: “For the first time ever it looks like we will take an athletics team which would be great.“In the initial conversations I had with Mr. Smith he indicated that they definitely want to send a team. They just have to decide what they want to do — whether they want to use the Games for their elite athletes or for their developmental ones or whether they want their Masters to go. They do want to send some so they can experience the Games and then go from there.

“I know we can get some medals. We have some very good track and field athletes in Bermuda and I believe that Clarence appreciates what these Games represent.”

Jon Beard, Bermuda’s chairman of the Island Games organisation, said: “The response from everybody has been very good so far. We are going to have to finalise who is going in December. Everyone seems keen to go and obviously a lot will come down to see what kind of sponsorship we will get from Government and the corporate sector. If we get it we are in great shape. If we could put our strongest team out there it could be phenomenal.”

The athletic events will be hosted in the newly constructed, 400 metre eight-lane Kalipatira Sports Complex which is located close to the accommodation area.

The half marathon will be held in the City of Rhodes starting from the Ancient Stadium. Athletes will also have the option to train in the newly constructed track and field of Agios Silas.

The new track is under the last stages of development.

A full range of track and field events will be held for both men and women including all events from 100 metres to 10,000 metres as well as hurdles, along with pole vault, high jump, long jump, triple jump, discus, javelin shot putt and the hammer.

Gazzard said he and then Sports Minister Dale Butler visited Rhodes this past summer.

“They will have over 3,000 athletes there and accommodation will not be problem since they have over 100,000 bed spaces available because tourism is a huge industry in Rhodes.”

At the last Island Games in Shetland accommodation was a problem and they brought in cruise ships to house some of the teams.

Gazzard added: “The weather promises to be great. Rhodes has excellent weather at that time of year. In fact the statistics for when the Games will be held (early July) state that there is under a millimetre of rain for the month of July. We will pretty much be guaranteed good weather.

“We were there for a week and it was clear blue skies every day. The wind picked up now and then but it was gorgeous.

Bermuda is expected to send over 225 athletes in 14 sports.