He memorised the names and faces of virtually every Olympian to appear on television.

His thesis as a senior at university in North Carolina was Olympic idealism.

Is it any wonder then that Patrick Singleton is a little bit in awe at being only Bermuda's second ever Winter Olympian when the 1998 Nagano Games take place in February? "I can't imagine what it's going to be like,'' Singleton said this week during a stop home for the holidays and a break from the World Cup luge circuit.

"People say, `Oh, oh, the Olympics.' But there's still a month to go and I've not even wearing anything that says `Nagano.' I'm not superstitious but it would look bad if for some reason I didn't go.'' Singleton qualified three weeks ago in Austria so about the only way he won't be going is to crash in training or to miss his flight to Japan. Given the hazards of whipping down an icy track, flat on your back at 80 miles per hour, he acknowledges the former. But he won't even consider the latter.

"I'll swim if I have to,'' he said.

The 23-year-old Southampton resident is on the Island until early January, before he goes to Lake Placid, New York, for a few days of start training. He is slated to arrive in Nagano on January 8 and will spend two weeks learning the nuances of the Olympic track.

The Olympic Village opens on January 24 -- two weeks before the opening ceremonies -- so he may stay on in Japan, depending on finances.

Singleton's success has already attracted the curiosity seekers -- how many other Winter Olympians are there from sun-baked, flat, semi-tropical islands? -- which is one of the reasons he's here over Christmas.

IBM, an official Olympic sponsor, will feature Singleton in one of their commercials during the Games and wrapped up shooting in Bermuda last weekend.

Producers wanted to film the segment in Calgary but Singleton insisted on doing it here.

"I wanted to promote the sport and, really, Bermuda. It's free advertising for the country,'' he said.

The spot cost IBM about $100,000 and "I don't get too much of it,'' Singleton said. Exactly how much he wouldn't say but Singleton called the amount "peanuts'' and said it probably wouldn't even cover the cost of a flight to Japan.

But then Singleton isn't in it for the money or even the prestige. He concedes that he does not expect to win a medal and says he only wants to represent Bermuda as best he can.

"I think I have kind of an old philosophy when it comes to the Olympics,'' he said.

"For me it's 2,000 men and women from 100 nations coming together for 16 days. It's just about the greatest experience a young person can have. That's what it's all about.'' OLYMPIC OLY