boost in the form of some formidable opposition over the coming weeks.

Gregory (Ribs) Simons, vice-president of Bermuda Track and Field, has confirmed the arrival in Bermuda tomorrow of two college teams who will provide competition for locals hoping to travel to Martinique for the Games over Easter.

Athletes have been hampered until now by the non-availability of National Stadium for training sessions.

"The arrival in Bermuda on Saturday of Wake Forest and CC Rhode Island Universities is timely in that it will provide our athletes trying to make the Carifta team with the sort of exposure that they need after having been able to put in the practice because the stadium was not ready,'' said Simons.

"We have scheduled a meet against the two schools at the Stadium on Sunday, starting at 2.00 p.m. and all of the local schools, from grade school to middle and high, are invited to participate. Registration will take place at the Stadium at 1.00 p.m. and there will be a fee of $3 charged.'' The visitors will be here for a week and additional competitions are expected to be scheduled at the Stadium throughout next.

While Sunday's meet is underway another university, King's PT, will arrive and take part in competition next week. And a fourth school, Sunny Fredonia, is scheduled to arrive at the end of the month with 20 female athletes offering locals further rivalry.

But while they are visiting the Island on vacation, the overseas coaches, notes Simons, will be busy using their time to recruit local athletes.

"I've been informed that this will not solely be a mission of relaxation and just fun and games because they will be on a recruiting drive also. While our athletes will be striving to reach qualifying marks for Carifta they can also go a long way towards obtaining scholarships if they impress the coaches,'' said Simons.

"But we are ecstatic about having these athletes come at a time when our preparation has been hampered. Now our people have something to strive for.'' Last year Bermuda sent eight athletes to Carifta in Trinidad and Tobago and Simons doesn't envision a bigger squad this time around.

The bulk of the team is expected to be made up of females with Richard Walcott and Gabriel Wilkinson likely to be the lone males. Wilkinson will compete in the under-20 division in the shot and discus and has already qualified, while Walcott hopes to run the 800 and 1500 metres in the under-17 division.