disrupted journey to Venezuela.

The remaining track and field competitors and officials and the gymnastics team flew in from Aruba on Wednesday night after they were marooned on the Caribbean island for 24 hours when they missed their connecting flight.

The gymnasts -- Leila Wadson, Christina White, Sasha Christensen and Laura Murphy -- went for their first practice session yesterday morning, prior to competition on Saturday, while track coach Gerry Swan was hoping to get some work in with his depleted team late in the afternoon.

The withdrawals of triple jumper Brian Wellman and women's 400m and 800m runner Jarita Dill mean Bermuda now have just five athletes doing battle in the track and field disciplines, which also get underway tomorrow.

Atiba Tucker and Tariq Hewey will be the first in action in the morning in their respective events of the long jump and 100 metres. Tucker is likely to concentrate purely on the long jump while Hewey may also participate in the 200m on Monday.

The much-improved Terrance Armstrong, probably Bermuda's best hope of a medal, particularly since Wellman's injury, will run in the 1500m on Sunday night, but may also tackle the 5000m the following evening.

High jumpers Rohaan Simons and Ronan Kane, meanwhile, both take part in their event late on Sunday afternoon.

Due to technical difficulties in Venezuela and the fact that telephone lines were down following an electrical storm, there was no word last night on how Bermuda's ladies hockey team fared in their second group match against Mexico.

The side lost 2-1 to Venezuela on Wednesday.

There was also no information regarding the Island's only sailing representatives, Brett and Sarah Lane Wright who are competing in the Laser class at Los Piedras in Zulia state, south of Maracaibo. The couple were due to compete in practice races yesterday and will be on the water at 9.00 this morning for the first race in the regatta.

TERRANCE ARMSTRONG -- Bermuda's best medal hope.