BERMUDA'S team for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing is expected to be one of the smallest ever. So far only one sport has qualified ¿ show jumping ¿ although Bermuda Olympic Association officials are banking on Peter Bromby qualifying in the Star class as well as Flora Duffy in the triathlon.

And while it may prove difficult for the swimmers and track athletes to meet any of the qualifying standards, Bermuda will probably take two of each depending on their results as the International Olympic Committee does allow each country to have two of each compete since they are the main two sports in the Summer Games.

Michael Cherry, the head of the Technical Committee of the BOA, said this week that one of the main problems small countries like Bermuda face is the tough qualifying standards set by the IOC ¿ standards which seemingly get tougher all of the time.

"The top people (in the Olympics) are full-time professionals now and that hurts the small countries," said Cherry.

"To be realistic today, the Pan Am Games and Commonwealth Games are the targets for the small countries. But now you also have the Youth Olympics and the Youth Commonwealth Games. They will be good for Bermuda and other smaller countries as the standards are slightly lower. The Youth Olympics will be good for sports and good for the smaller countries because it gives them a chance to get their youngsters in there. It will give our youngsters some valuable experience."

Admitting that the Bejing Olympics were "getting close", Cherry said: "We have one spot for the equestrian but we have two riders who have reached the qualifying standard so we have to make a decision at some point on who will travel to Beijing and that process is in the final stages.

"The next best chance we have are the team of Peter Bromby and Lee White in the Star boat. They have a qualifying regatta in April (2008 World Championships in Miami) which is their last chance to qualify. Then we have Flora Duffy in the triathlon and as long as she maintains her position should qualify by reason of world ranking. At the moment that is we are."

Cherry is hoping to also take two swimmers and two track and field athletes. For those two sports ¿ the biggest draw for the Summer Games ¿ the IOC allow each country to bring two athletes in each sport.

"Realistically there are probably no more than two track people who will make it. Right now we are looking at Arantxa King (triple jump and long jump) and perhaps (high jumper) Latroya Darrell. I have been in contact with the Bermuda Track and Field Association who have given me five or six names who are potentials. But we need to be realistic because the standard is pretty high.

"The IOC are looking for quality rather than quantity and they have to restrict the numbers. They have to make sure they get the best in the world. However because track and field along with swimming are the drawing sports for the Olympics they do allow countries who do not have people qualified, to send two athletes in those sports. So there is a chance provided those athletes reach a certain standard. Hopefully we will have two track athletes and two swimmers."

If two swimmers go they will be 2004 Olympic veteran Kiera Aitken along with Roy Allan Burch. "They both competed in the World Championships in February this year and may get a chance to go. I hate to use the term wild card but it is a similar sort of thing. The IOC still want the smaller countries to participate but they still have to reach a standard. You can't be 50 metres behind in a 100 metres race!"

Cherry said he would be delighted to see the swimmers and track athletes "qualify in their own right".

Of reaching the Olympic qualifying standard, Cherry said: "I feel that Kiera stands a chance and Roy Allan an outside chance and Arantxa has a good chance and it is also possible Latroya will qualify. But it is a tough standard."

Richard Goodwin, head of swimming in Bermuda, said he was hoping that the island would have two swimmers at the 2008 Summer Games.

"We want to see two swimmers go to Beijing," he said this week.

Aitken is training at her base in Barcelona, Spain while Burch swims for Springfield College in Massachusetts.

"It gets harder all the time," said Goodwin of qualifying for the Olympics. "The standards keep on rising."

Bermuda's biggest team was the one in Barcelona at the 1992 Olympics when 20 athletes took part. The Montreal Olympics in 1976 saw 16 athletes make the grade while 12 went to both the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and the Los Angeles Games in 1984.

In Athens in 2004 10 athletes took part.

The smallest team ever for Bermuda was the Melbourne Games in 1956 when only three athletes flew the flag for Bermuda.