By Jonathan Kent Teenagers Laura Murphy and Christina White will make history as Bermuda's first competitors in the world gymnastics championships next month.

The pair will fly out to China next week and train in preparation for the championships which start on October 8 in Tanjin.

In the Pan American Games in Canada last month, the girls were the top two performers in the Island's gymnastics team and Murphy became the first Bermuda gymnast to qualify for an individual final in a major games.

In China, both will have an opportunity to earn a place in next year's Olympics in Sydney.

They can achieve that in one of two ways -- either by reaching the tough qualifying standard in competition or by impressing enough to be awarded a wild card entry by the International Gymnastics Federation.

Murphy is studying in England at Wrekin College, Shropshire, where she has improved greatly thanks to expert guidance from former UK national coach Colin Still.

Still will accompany Murphy to China, something which Bermuda national coach Walid Mustafa believed was a major plus.

"Colin has so much experience, he's done everything in gymnastics,'' said Mustafa. "Colin will be starting his second year working with Laura and it will be a great help for her to have him there.'' Murphy will fly direct to China from the UK and meet up with Mustafa and White.

Murphy scored a personal best of 32.230 at the Pan- Ams in Winnipeg over the four disciplines of beam, bars, vault and floor. It was enough for her to reach the Individual All-Around final.

White, hampered by three falls off the beam, still managed to score 28.549.

Mustafa admitted that Olympic qualification was a tall order for either girl -- but did not rule out the possibility.

"To qualify, they would need to score in the mid to high 34s. They are both training hard and well, but 34 is a tough score to get, but you never know.

It's possible for both of them,'' said the coach.

"But a lot of people have been impressed with what they have seen from the Bermuda Gymnastics Association in the last few years and that will help our chances of a wild card.'' Given the short career of a top gymnast, Mustafa felt that this would be a first and last world championships for the 18-year-old Murphy, while the event would be valuable experience for 15-year-old White, who would probably still be competing by the time of the next worlds in Indiana in 2003.

Despite facing daunting competition -- Bermuda will compete in the same section as Russia -- and taking part in a world event for the first time, Mustafa felt that nerves would not be a problem for the girls.

"In the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia last year, we were in the same section as the home country, so that was kind of intimidating,'' said Mustafa.

"But every time we step out there in a major event, we seem to be more at ease. I can see our skill level going up and there is not quite so much of a gap between us and some of the other countries now,'' added Mustafa.

"Of course, we have a long way to go, but we are making good progress.''