Terceira gets Olympic chance ahead of Nisbett
Show jumper Jill Terceira has been selected ahead of Patrick Nisbett to represent Bermuda at the Olympic Games.Both riders were eligible to go the London 2012 but the Bermuda Equestrian Federation (BEF) have plumped for Terceira based on her impressive displays this season, The Royal Gazette understands.Terceira has met the qualifying standard on both her horses, Bernadien van Westuur and Lakvels, giving her another option for the Olympics show jumping events, which will be held in Greenwich Park.With Bermuda allowed just one show jumper to compete in London a spot earned by Terceira at last year’s Pan Am Games the BEF were left facing the same dilemma that confronted them ahead of the 2008 Beijing Games.On that occasion Nisbett was given the nod after a three-legged competition that determined the winner, a decision that left Terceira fuming when the BEF made the announcement.In a remarkable turnaround, Terceira then replaced Nisbett whose dreams were dashed when his horse, Antille 8, fell ill en route to their final pre-Games competition in Europe.Terceira and Bernadien van Westuur excelled at the 2011 Pan Am Games, held in Guadalajara, Mexico finishing eighth, ahead of six-time Olympian Ian Millar and number one ranked rider Eric Lamaze. Nisbett, however, failed to make it through to the final round.Bermudians to have qualified for the Games are Tyrone Smith (long jump), Flora Duffy (triathlon), Tyler Butterfield (triathlon) Roy-Allan Burch (swimming), Jesse and Zander Kirkland (sailing) and Terceira (equestrian). Long jumper Arantxa King has been granted a wild card berth although she is still hoping to reach the qualifying standard.Track and field hopefuls Aaron Evans (800 metres), Tre Houston (200 metres) and Jasmine Brunson (triple jump) have until the July 8 deadline to meet the Olympic standard.The Bermuda Olympic Association will wait until after the deadline before officially announcing Bermuda’s Olympic squad.