Bermuda Government yesterday handed out $20,000 in funding to six junior athletes to help in the development of their promising careers.

Out of 12 applications presented to the awards committee, the six lucky recipients announced at the sixth annual National Junior Athletic Sponsorship Programme luncheon yesterday at Hamilton Princess were: Chris Foggo (cricket), Kijuan Minors (equestrian), Graham Smith (swimming), Alexander Kirkland (sailing), Shar-Dae Whitter (athletics) and Ryan Mello (golf).

An original member of the six, triathlete Tyler Butterfield, declined the funding (see accompanying story) .

All of the nominations have to be put forward by their national sports bodies, with the limit of one athlete per sport.

Foggo recently represented Bermuda and the Americas at the recent Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka, the highlight of which was his 91 against Holland in the team's final game.

Foggo plays for St. David's in the league and last year, at 16, made his debut in Cup Match as an opening batsman for St. George's. Some $4,000 has been donated to the Bermuda Cricket Board of Control for Foggo to use towards expenses when he attends an MCC coaching academy in England this year.

Kijuan Minors, a business and insurance student at Bermuda College, is one of the Island's most promising young equestrians. In 1997 at age 15, he was first in the pony jumper class in the Malabar Show and first Bermuda Bred in the Agriculture Exhibition. In 1998 he was first driving pony at the Agriculture Show and fourth in Junior Equitation in his age group at the Hinson Hall Show.

Minors' most successful year was in 1999 when he competed in and placed in no less than eight shows, the highlights including finishing second pony jumper in the A&J Jumper Show and first in the Junior Equitation at the Malabar Show.

At the Hinson Hall Show and the Inwood Horse Show, Minors was not only champion Junior Hunter and Junior Equitation champion, but also the overall junior show champion and overall show champion. Minors was donated $4,000 through the Bermuda Equestrian Federation to assist with costs associated with riding, grooming and training with an overseas instructor camp in either England and/or Canada.

The Bermuda Amateur Swimming Association received $2,500 for Graham Smith to attend the Jack Nelson Swim Camps this year. Smith holds Bermuda age group records in the 200 metres breaststroke for ages 11, 12, 13 and 14 and for the 15-18 age group last year, as well as 50 metre breaststroke and 100 metre individual medley records.

Smith's goal is to represent Bermuda as soon as possible at the major festivals of Pan Am, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games and will use the expert coaching of Jack Nelson at his swim camps in Florida to achieve that.

Kirkland was a recipient of funding last year and receives another $3,500 to assist with the purchase of a Laser Radial Dinghy to use in competition.

Kirkland's goal is to progress to the top tier of single-handed youth sailing in North America in the Laser Radial and Byte classes and ultimately expects to represent Bermuda in the Olympic Games in that class.

Last year Kirkland was first out of 21 boats in the Mid-Atlantic US Junior Olympic Sailing Festival for the Byte class and in the same month was second overall in a significant senior competition, the Byte World Championships, amongst 78 boats.

Runner Shar-Dae Whitter was awarded $2,500 through the Bermuda Track and Field Association to further develop her running by attending two overseas training camps. Whitter, who recently qualified for the Carifta Games, plans to attend a track training camp in Maryland and a cross-country camp in Pennsylvania.

Whitter is this year's youngest recipient at age 14 and the only female and is in the third year of the National track and field programme. She has consistently lowered her time in the 800 and 1500 metres and will run in the 1500 metres at next month's Carifta.

The final recipient is golfer Ryan Mello who is in Prep School at Hilton Head.

His achievements include victories in the Buick Can-Am Junior Open in Florida, the Buick-Wilo-del Junior Championship in Niagara Falls while losing a play-off for first place in the Buick Whirlpool Junior Open.

Mello received $3,500 to assist him with travel, accomodation and entry fees to tournaments.

Wishes granted: From left to right, sports award winners Tyler Butterfield, Alexander Kirkland, Kijuan Minors, Graham Smith, Shar-Dae Whitter and Chris Foggo, with Sports Minister Dennis Lister.