Bermuda's youngest Olympian faces a baptism of fire when he makes his Games debut in Atlanta's Olympic Stadium today as the much-anticipated track and field programme finally kicks into gear.

Following a cruel draw in the last of 12 100-metre heats, Devon Bean could find his Olympic experience to be short and sweet.

Yesterday's first round draw pitted the 20-year-old Long Beach, California, student against one of the gold medal favourites, Namibian Frankie Fredericks -- the same man who earlier this month ended Amerian Michael Johnson's long unbeaten streak in the 200 metres.

Fredericks, 28, is better known as a 200 runner but still has a PB in the 100 of 9.95.

If his inclusion in the heat wasn't bad enough news for Bean, then presence also of top Canadian Glenroy Gilbert promised to make qualifying all the more difficult.

With only three to advance, plus the fastest four from all heats, Bean will likely have to emulate the 10.27 personal best which got him to these Games in the first place, if he's to move on to this evening's second-round heats.

A massive entry of 108 sprinters has necessitated an unprecedented 12 opening-round heats. Only 40 will survive.

Bean, who earlier this week expressed optimism over his chances of reaching the semi-finals, has been drawn in lane nine. His other first round rivals include Mark Sherwin of the Cook Islands, Alexandros Yenovelis of Greece, Robert Loua of Guinea, Frutos Feo of Spain, Hamed Sadeq of Kuwait and Benjamin Sirimou of Cameroon.

Meanwhile, Troy Douglas, the last of Bermuda's athletes to arrive in Atlanta this week -- he flew in from his home in Holland -- also steps onto the track today in the 400 metres and appears to have a solid chance of advancing.

A semi-finalist in the 400m in Barcelona four years ago, the 33-year-old veteran now considers the 200m his strongest event -- he was the silver medallist at last year's World Indoor Championships. But with a 400 best time of 45.59 he should be able to deal comfortably with most of his first round opposition.

On paper the second of eight heats, due to be run at 7.35 p.m. (Bermuda time), isn't one of the toughest and Douglas has the advantage of having drawn the inside lane, enabling him to keep an eye on all of his rivals.

Also in that heat are Poland's Piotr Rysiukiewicz, Saudi Arabia's Mohammed Al-Beshi, Hassani Abdou of Comoros, Jamaica's Davian Clarke, Kenya's Charles Gitonga, Sanderlei Parrela of Brazil and Ivan Jean-Marie of Saint Lucia.

The Jamaican, Brazilian and Kenyan will likely give Douglas most trouble as the top three automatically advance along with the eight fastest losers.

A field of 64 has entered the 400 with 32 going through to the second round which will be held tomorrow.

It was still unclear last night whether Bermuda's strongest medal contender, triple jumper Brian Wellman, would see action today.

Qualifying for tomorrow's triple jump final was originally slated for 7.10 p.m this evening with the competitors divided into two groups.

However, the Games central computer system which is supposed to give up-to-the-minute details of any change in schedule or entry list was last night offering only a `No information' message on the triple jump, and officials questioned about the event were no wiser.

Bermuda chef de mission Phil Guishard, visiting the sailors in Savannah yesterday along with Sports Minister Tim Smith and Bermuda Olympic Association president Austin Woods, said he suspected the triple jump would now be a straight final on Saturday, but he had received no confirmation.

Wellman said earlier this week he hoped to qualify for the final with just a single jump if qualifying was indeed deemed necessary.

"I just want to get the first jump over 17 metres and then get out of there,'' said the 27-year-old. "I don't want to be hanging around.''