Bermuda will be represented by one of its smallest Olympic contingents in recent times.

At best, six persons will carry the country's aspirations in Athens but president of the Bermuda Olympic Association (BOA) John Hoskins only sees one or two having realistic medal opportunities.

Equestrian Tim Collins, sailors Peter Bromby and Paula Lewin and swimmer Kiera Aitken have all qualified while promising triathlete Tyler Butterfield received a wild card. There is also a possibility that sprinter Xavier James could be winging his way to Athens thanks to a special regulation in track and field.

“Peter is definitely the favourite to get a medal in our team and from his recent performances he must have a very good chance,” said Hoskins of the Star-Class specialist who will be accompanied by Lee White in his quest.

Lewin, he added, has a small fleet to contend with and could, with her vast experience, be a factor in the race for the podium despite recent disappointing results.

“Her medal prospects are tough, very tough.”

The other three athletes could, at the maximum, be pleased with improvements in their personal performances.

“I think Tim Collins is hoping to finish somewhere in the middle of the pack. Obviously, it would be good if Kiera could get a personal best but she is not going to be up there with the top ones and I think Tyler is the same.

“Bermuda is a tiny place. We can't expect to get many, if any, medals. If we get one medal that would be fantastic,” noted the BOA head.

James - now training in Florida - could be included also as there is provision for a country to send one track-and-field competitor if no-one from that nation has qualified in the discipline.

“You can send somebody if the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) thinks he can perform at a high enough standard.”

Hoskins explained that a form, backed up by the athlete's performances, must be submitted by the national athletics governing body to the IAAF and they determine whether they consider that individual's standards to be high enough.

Meanwhile, Hoskins revealed it was very unlikely that two other non-qualifiers - swimmer Ronald Cowen and diver Katura Horton-Perinchief - would make the squad.

Cowen, he acknowledged, was invited to the Olympics because of his showing at the World Championships but this invitation was subject to FINA (swimming's international governing body) regulations. One of those was that, if another athlete from the same country had qualified at A or B level, then the invitation would not be applicable.

“As Kiera has qualified then it's almost certain he is not going but we're just trying to clarify that with the International Olympic Committee (IOC),” said Hoskins.

Horton-Perinchief's situation also seems extremely doubtful as - despite being on diving's reserve list for the Olympics - she failed to attain the mandatory score required.

“She had been turned down but a late appeal has been made and we have sent off to the IOC for clarification on the position of unused diving spots. We were querying whether those unused spots would be available.

“Once again it's unlikely because if you haven't made the standard, they are not going to accept you.”

Asked if he is disappointed that Bermuda's representation will not be more significant, Hoskins was philosophical, noting the increasing challenges for tiny countries to impact such gigantic events.

“It's gotten more and more difficult as the standards are getting higher and higher. Also the Games are bigger so they are limiting the number of competitors to 10,000. That makes it more difficult and there's not much we can do.

“Numerically, it's incredibly tough when you think that we're just 60,000 people and China has got a billion (people).”

However, he noted the key might be for the Island to stick to sports in which it has shown some prowess such as sailing.

“That's obviously an area in which we start our children young and get them on the water and give them lots of coaching. Our junior sailors are doing very well.”

As for athletics, he noted Bermuda did have its “Clarence Saunders and Brian Wellmans in the past...but it requires an exceptional athlete and these are few and far between”.