pioneer swimming participants in Berlin in 1936 to Simon Payne in Albertville this year, were honoured yesterday by the Bermuda Olympic Association at the launching of the Bank of Butterfield's `Great Olympic Giveaway' promotion at its Reid Street branch headquarters.

The Olympians, many of whom were not in attendance, received pins to acknowledge their participation as the build-up continued towards the summer Olympic Games in Barcelona from July 25 to August 9. "By holding this promotion we hope to increase public awareness of these exceptional athletes,'' said Colin Furr, Deputy General Manager of Retail Banking at the Bank of Butterfield.

The 10-week promotion will feature more than 300 prizes with a total value of over $11,000 and, between April 20 and June 26, all customers using their ATM cards at any of the Bank of Butterfield automatic teller machines will be eligible to win. Prizes range from membership to the Olympic Club, subscriptions to TV Times and Bermuda Business, Ray-Ban sunglasses, Cablevision installation packages, cases of Coca-Cola and Olympic ties and pins.

More than 30 prizes will be awarded each week and at the end of the promotion all prize winners will be eligible for the grand prize of a 32'' Sony television.

During the 10 weeks of the promotion the Bank of Butterfield will display an `Olympic Centre' in the Reid Street Branch banking hall. The centre will feature Bermuda's 1992 Olympic hopefuls as they are confirmed, general information and contest details.

Amongst the guests attending yesterday's press conference and reception were BNTB officials, Austin Woods and Jimmy Amos, president and vice-president of the BOA, W.F. (Chummy) Hayward, a key figure behind the Olympic movement and newly appointed Sports Minister Pamela Gordon.

Amos, himself, represented Bermuda in yachting in the 1972 Olympics im Munich.

Said Woods: "We are enthusiastic and proud that the Bermuda Olympic Association has been chosen to participate in this joint venture and the Bank of Butterfield looks forward to the community supporting this effort and the athletes representing Bermuda in Barcelona this summer.

"It is fitting to recognise the past Olympians and the administrations here today because it's their contributions that have kept the Olympic spirit alive.

"As we look forward to July 25 when the Summer Games commence I would appeal to the people of Bermuda to support our team. They will be representing you as one of the 170 countries that will be participating in the Olympic movement and I'm confident that the team we will select will represent you and represent you well.

"Again I want to thank the Bank of Butterfield for having the ingenuity and the efforts in order to promote the Olympic movement and certainly if they continue to demonstrate this type of achievement we can be proud of organisations like the Bank of Butterfield.''