Pan-American Games later this month, officials believe.

Bermuda Olympic Association general secretary John Hoskins is backing equestrienne MJ Tumbridge, Sunfish sailor Malcolm Smith and triple jumper Brian Wellman to emerge from their various competitions with hardware.

Bowlers Antoine Jones and Conrad Lister, silver medallists in the men's doubles at the Commonwealth Games, could also create a stir as the Island approaches the event in Winnipeg, Canada, with its strongest team yet.

"I think we've got more medal chances than we've ever had,'' said Hoskins yesterday. "Obviously Wellman and Smith have got to be very good prospects and even though Wellman hasn't been at his best, nobody else is doing better distances.

"Sometimes the top competitors don't show until it comes to the Games and one could expect the Cubans and Americans to be very strong, but there's no reason why he couldn't medal if he's on form.

"In the three day event, MJ Tumbridge has been competing in Europe at the very highest levels. And our men's bowlers have been turning in some exceptional performances over here and could do well.'' A total of 28 Bermuda competitors from seven different sports are confirmed for the Games, which run from July 23-August 9.

But late yesterday -- and for widely differing reasons -- question marks were still hanging over the qualifying hopes sprinter Devon Bean and gymnast Alex Froncioni.

The problem concerning 100 metre runner Bean appeared to be that he had failed to make the qualifying standard within the 12-month period used as the benchmark for acceptance by the BOA.

However, it was thought that he may have gone so close to achieving the mark at one of his most recent meetings that the technical committee might still give him the go-ahead.

Bermuda Track and Field Association were believed to have delivered more documentation to the BOA offices early yesterday but that had to go before the technical committee for their final ruling.

Hoskins said: "We just needed copies from any events he's done in the last couple of months. But I would not like to pre-empt our technical committee.'' Two members of that committee were off the Island, so a decision was unlikely before early next week.

Froncioni's case concerns her eligibility. As a Canadian citizen who moved to Bermuda as a small child, the BOA have been forced to apply to the International Olympic Committee for a ruling on whether she can compete for the Island.

According to Hoskins, the IOC have referred the matter to the Games organising committee.

"The indication is that the ruling should favour the athlete so we expect it to be sorted out.'' Hoskins also revealed that he expected to resolve accommodation problems at the Games centre. Bermuda originally requested 42 beds but when it was learned there would be no soccer team competing, the organisers reduced that to 22.

But, said Hoskins, despite the scarcity of hotels in Winnipeg, a number of rooms had been booked as a back-up.

Pan-Am team: Bowling: Antoine Jones, Conrad Lister, Steven Riley, Dean Lightbourn, June Dill, Pat Price, Dianne Ingham, Darnell Raynor Cycling: Elliott Hubbard Equestrian: MJ Tumbridge, Kevin Edwards, Cathy Fox, Christopher Taylor.

Gymnastics: Sasha Christensen, Laura Murphy, Leila Wadson, Alex Foncioni (probable) Sailing: Malcolm Smith, Christian Luthi, Carola Cooper, Sara Wright, Brett Wright Swimming: Stephen Fahy, Stephen Troake, Ronald Cowen, Matthew Hammond Track and field: Terrance Armstrong, Brian Wellman, Devon Bean (probable) MJ Tumbridge: Aiming to medal in the three-day event at this month's Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg.