Athletes will do Island proud – Simons
An 18-member team was last night confirmed by the Bermuda Olympic Association for next month’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
The athletes will represent six sports, with top triathletes Tyler Butterfield and Flora Duffy leading the Island’s hopes of a first medal at the Games since Clarence Saunders, the high jumper, claimed a gold medal in 1990 in Auckland, New Zealand.
The team will be made up of four triathletes, with Tucker Murphy and Jonathan Herring joining Butterfield and Duffy, while there is also a six-member track and field team led by Arantxa King, Shianne Smith, Aaron Evans, Tre Houston, Tyrone Smith and Shaquille Dill.
Nicole Mitchell and Dominique Mayho will represent Bermuda in cycling, Gemma Lightbourne the lone gymnast, Micah Franklin, Robert Maycock and Nicholas Kyme make up the squash contingent along with swimmers Julian Fletcher and Dominique Mayho.
Judy Simons, the BOA president, expressed confidence that the team will represent Bermuda well in Glasgow from July 23 to August 3.
“We are confident that this team will represent Bermuda superbly both in and out of the sports arena, and on behalf of all of Bermuda we wish them great success,” Simons said.
ermuda first competed in the Commonwealth Games in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada, and have only missed four editions.
Bermuda’s first medal came in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1966 with a silver medal for John Morbey in the men’s long jump final.
The 1990 Games in Auckland produced the first gold for Bermuda when Saunders jumped a Commonwealth record 2.36 metres, a record that still stands.
The 2014 team will be supported by ten officials and a medical team of three under Stan Douglas, the chef de mission. The officials include Robert Oliver, Troy Douglas, head coach, and physio Sandro Fubler for track and field, Peter Dunne and Philip Trussell for cycling, Amanda Baughman for gymnastics, Runa Reta for squash, Ben Smith for swimming and Steven Petty and one yet to be named official for triathlon.
The medical staff include physio Maureen Ryan and massage therapists Richard Johnson and Seth Pearman. Earl Basden will travel as the press attache.
Bermuda squad
Athletics: Arantxa King, Shianne Smith, Aaron Evans, Tre Houston, Tyrone Smith, Shaquille Dill
Cycling: Nicole Mitchell, Dominique Mayho
Gymnastics: Gemma Lightbourne
Squash: Micah Franklin, Robert Maycock, Nick Kyme
Swimming: Julian Fletcher, Roy-Allan Burch
Triathlon: Flora Duffy, Tucker Murphy, Tyler Butterfield, Jonathan Herring