Bermuda triathletes Tyler Butterfield and Flora Duffy have been awarded London 2012 Scholarships to help them prepare for next summer’s Olympic Games.A total of 16 triathletes, eight men and eight women, received Olympic Solidarity awards by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) yesterday the largest number ever handed out.All of the recipients were identified by their own National Olympic Committees as potential stars on the international triathlon scene.Butterfield, 28, is currently training in Australia alongside his former housemate and top triathlete Brad Kahlefeldt, as the Bermudian looks to recover from a long-standing shin-splint problem.Duffy finished 15th overall and was the second female finisher in last weekend’s TBF XTERRA Real Mountain Bike Triathlon.Marisol Casado, ITU president and IOC member, said she was proud to see such a large number of Olympic Solidarity Scholarships being awarded to triathletes affording them the opportunity to focus on preparing for London.“Triathlon is one of the fastest growing Olympic sports and athletes are emerging from every corner of the world,” she said. “Global sport development has always been one of our main aims which is in keeping with the spirit of the IOC’s Olympic Solidarity Programmes, and today I am extremely pleased to see these athletes being helped on their way to international and Olympic success.“The ITU is committed to further developing the sport; in particular because we believe triathlon promotes the Olympic ideals, and through the Olympic programme, can help sport reach more people throughout the world.”Libby Burrell, ITU development director, said: “Sport development is all about athletes being given opportunities to maximise their potential. Olympic Solidarity Scholarships have made this possible in the past for many young triathletes and this year we will see the largest ever group of triathletes reap the benefits of this wonderful programme.“ITU is extremely grateful to Olympic Solidarity for recognising the triathletes nominated by their NOCs for these scholarships.”The 16 triatheles who received funding were Jason Wilson (Barbados), Vendula Frintova (Czech Republic), Elizabeth Maria Bravo Iniguez (Ecuador), Elizabeth May (Luxembourg), Ryan Sissons (New Zealand), Richard Varga (Slovakia), Helle Frederiken (Denmark), Bárbara Riveros Diaz (Chile), Tyler Butterfield (Bermuda), Flora Jane Duffy (Bermuda), Stojan Popovski (Macedonia), Aileen Morrison (Ireland), Leonardo Chacon Corrales (Croatia), Yuliya Yelistratova (Ukraine), Abrahm Louw (Namibia), Hervé Banti (Monaco).