Triple jumper Brian Wellman will attempt to lift the gloom hanging over Bermuda's camp when he steps out for his third consecutive Olympics early on Saturday evening.

Following the tragic loss of MJ Tumbridge's mare Bermuda's Gold, the disappointing performances of swimmer Stephen Fahy and the horrible start endured by sailor Sara Lane Wright in her first four races, it's now up to veteran Wellman to brighten Bermuda's mood.

At 33, Arkansas-based Wellman is one of the oldest and most seasoned campaigners in a large qualifying field of 43.

However, Britain's world record holder Jonathan Edwards, arguably the gold medal favourite, is a year older at 34, indicating that experience might count for more than youth.

History suggests that both Wellman and Edwards should breeze into Monday evening's final, although to make absolutely sure they'll need to hit the automatic qualifying distance of 16.95 metres. If sufficient competitors don't meet that target, qualifying will depend on final placings after six jumps.

Wellman has a best of 17.05 metres this year -- recorded back in May -- but has skipped nearly all of the summer's major outdoor meets because of what he called a dispute with his agent.

His personal best leap of 17.72 metres would rank him third in the Sydney field behind only Edwards (world record of 18.29) and old foe Yoelbi Quesada of Cuba (17.85).

But it's several years since the Bermudian consistently jumped over 17 metres.

Yet he argues that despite the lack of top competition this year, his training has gone well and he's injury-free. And after a fifth place finish in Barcelona in 1992 and a sixth in Atlanta four years ago, he desperately wants to end his Olympic career on a high.

Yesterday he was dismissing earlier fears that the swirling wind inside Sydney's Olympic Stadium might hamper his performance, saying: "It's the same for all of us. We've all got to jump into the same pit.'' And he said he was anxious to get in and out of the qualifying event as quickly as possible, aiming to post 16.95 on his first jump.

"Barring a foul or a strong headwind, I think I can do that,'' he said.

And he noted that the competition wasn't as strong as he thought it might be.

"It's kind of actually low for the Olympics, but this is the Olympic Games so I expect everybody to step up.

"Jonathan (Edwards) has been the most consistent. I think he's the man to beat.'' Meanwhile, Sara Lane Wright will be back out in the harbour for two more races this afternoon, attempting to figure out the fluky conditions that so far she's failed to master. Four finishes in the bottom quarter of the Europe Dinghy fleet have left Wright wallowing in 25th place among 27 sailors.

Star Class veterans Peter Bromby and Lee White open their campaign with the first two of 11 races in which they hope the fickle conditions will continue.

Bromby said earlier this week that he considered the unpredictable wind shifts a help rather than a hindrance as he and White take on some of the best match-racers in the world.

Brian Wellman: opens his third Olympic triple jump campaign in Sydney's magnificent new stadium today.