Top female athlete Raneika Bean has expressed a keen interest in representing Bermuda at the Carifta Games in Bridgetown, Barbados -- news that the Bermuda Track and Field Association welcomed with delight.

With the names of eight who have qualified for the event already having been announced, Bermuda's squad for the April 14-17 meet will be bolstered considerably should Bean meet the necessary qualifying times and have her name included.

She recorded a time of 11.28 seconds during a 100 metres heat in the 1998 Games in the girl's under-17 division when she was just 15 years-old. Although regarded as a Games record her achievement was so astonishing that it still remains questioned to this very day by some.

Bean pulled off this outstanding performance while competing in Trinidad and Tobago but somehow has never fulfilled her potential since then, even though she went on to win the under-17 100 metres gold, albeit at a slower time of 11.96 at that same event.

Mike Swan, vice-president of the BTFA, said that the young athlete was the one who approached them about competing at Carifta and negotiations with the coaching staff were currently under way.

For unknown reasons Bean, who is at school in Alabama, hasn't been busy in track and field since and it remains to be seen if her standards are still so high.

With information about her status sketchy, local coaches will have to await on reports from her performances at her school and her qualifying standards will have to be acquired at track meets at the school -- not merely during training. They will also have to be certified by the meet directors.

"We were elated that she wants to get back into track and field. She is a very talented athlete who competes in the 100 and 200 metres, the long jump, triple jump and jump and holds the Carifta record for the 100 metres and the CAC under-17 record for the triple jump,'' said Swan.

"We are anxiously awaiting further information from her and the school, but there is no doubt that she will be a welcome addition once we are satisfied that she is once again performing at a high level.'' If Bean qualifies in any of the events and makes the team, it would mean Swan's estimation that Bermuda could take as many as 13 athletes to Carifta would prove to be correct.

With already eight confirming places, the odds are that the number will shortly swell to 10 with the expected qualification of Daniel Watson who has been sick and Tiffany Eatherley who has been injured. Watson will strive to qualify in the 200 and 400 metres and Eatherley in the 800 and 1500 metres.

Both are in the under-17 division.

Bermuda's qualfiers for Carifta to date are: Richrd Walcott, Henry Talbot, Shar-dae Whitter, Brittaney Marshall, Crystal Hayward, Michelle Trott, Zindzi Swan and Gabriel Wilkinson.

The BTFA have announced that the deadline for qualifying is March 17 which is the day of the last track meet.