after the participation of the Island's swimming team and gymnast Alex Froncioni was finally confirmed late yesterday.

PASO, the Games organising committee, faxed the Bermuda Olympic Association shortly before five o'clock with the news, which was greeted with relief.

The decisions had looked likely since earlier in the day when Chef de Mission Mike Cherry was contacted to be told that 11 more beds had been made available for the Bermuda contingent in the Games capital of Winnipeg.

Richard Goodwin, senior co-ordinating coach of the four-strong swimming team of Stephen Fahy, Matthew Hammond, Ronald Cowen and Stephen Troake, reacted with relief.

"I'm elated,'' he said. "The longer this went on, the more we waited, the more likely I thought it would be that this thing would go positively.

"I have rung round all the families of the individuals involved to leave messages for the swimmers and on the whole the main thing they're feeling is relief.'' Thirteen-year-old gymnast Froncioni's participation had depended on a ruling by PASO, which finally came through yesterday. Froncioni, a Canadian citizen who came to Bermuda as a small child, had already received the blessing of the International Gynmastics Federation to compete for Bermuda.

The Royal Gazette revealed a little over a week ago the doubts about the swimmers' participation after it was learned that a cap of 220 competitors had been placed on the sport. A number of federations had been slow in submitting their applications and it was not known how many might have to be cut from the final total.

In addition, there remained worries that some smaller nations might attempt to turn up with competitors without notifying PASO; in the Pan-Am competition in Indianapolis eight years ago, more than 1,000 athletes arrived unofficially.

Goodwin, meanwhile, added that he was especially pleased for Cowen. His place in Winnipeg seemed most under threat as he had not qualified for any individual events and officials privately feared the relay team might be cut.

That would have been a double disappointment for Cowen, who was forced to miss the Commonwealth Games last September after a horrifying bike accident three months earlier left him with a steel rod inserted in a broken leg.

"I am quite convinced his overall feeling will be one of great relief,'' said Goodwin. "I am sure this will be a positive thing for his swimming career.'' The swimmers will now have to wait until later this week to find out if they will be allowed to compete in all the events they have been entered for.

If so, Fahy will lead the way in his speciality events, the 100 fly and 200 individual medley.

Fahy, the only member of the team to miss last week's warm-up meet in Buffalo, New York -- he stayed at university for training under his own coach -- is also set to participate in the 50, 100 and 200 freestyle.

Troake is expected to race in the 50 and 100 free and probably the 100 back.

Hammond will compete in 200 and 400 free and 100 back, while Cowen may get the chance to swim in the 400 free in addition to the relay.

Pooling resources: Swimming team-mates Stephen Fahy (above) and Stephen Troake (below) have finally been given the go-ahead to race at the Pan-Am Games.

SWIMMING SW GYMNASTICS GYM