National swimming coach Richard Goodwin is disappointed at missing out on the Olympic Games in Sydney -- but he understands the reasoning behind the decision to omit him.

Stephen Fahy is the lone Island swimmer to have qualified for the Games and Bermuda Olympic Association have granted his wish to be accompanied by Frank Keefe, his coach at Yale University, instead of Goodwin.

Goodwin said yesterday: "I must admit there is some element of disappointment, as this was the chance of a lifetime to attend the millenium Games in Sydney.

"But that disappointment must be temepered by what is important for Stephen at this time.

"All credit should go to Frank Keefe, who has been working with Stephen for three years, and given him specialised training, often outside regular school time at his own expense and in his own time.'' Fahy has enjoyed phenomenal success since he started working with Keefe and has broken a string of national records. At last year's Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg, Canada, he became the first Bermudian swimmer to qualify for a final at a major games.

As he did last year, Fahy has remained at Yale during his summer holidays to continue preparing for the Games with Keefe, who has Olympic pedigree, having been coach of the 1984 US team and manager of the 1988 US team.

But Goodwin has enjoyed success too and as recently as last month at the Caribbean Swimming Championships in Aruba, the Bermuda team he coached brought home six gold medals, two bronzes and a host of new age group records.

Goodwin added: "My success has been mostly at age group level. To step up to Stephen's level would entail coaching as a full-time job.

"Here you have an athlete who wants to do the intensive training, someone who is willing to coach him through it and there needs to be a facility.

"And then there is competition, which is the best sharpener of attributes and training there is. Swimmers in the US and Europe can compete in a meet somewhere virtually every week.'' Fahy could not possibly have enjoyed those conditions in Bermuda, said Goodwin.

"That probably explains why the bulk of our success has come overseas,'' added the coach.