The Island's sole athlete at the 2010 Winter Olympics showed off Bermuda style last night during the Opening Ceremony in Vancouver when he carried the flag wearing traditional Bermuda shorts.

But cross-country skier Tucker Murphy was not the first Bermudian to wear Bermuda shorts in a Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony – luge racer Patrick Singleton wore them at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.

However Murphy was a bit more comfortable last night compared to Singleton – last night's opening was staged indoors while Singleton braved the cold outdoors in Salt Lake.

Bermuda Chef de Mission, Carol Bromby, said yesterday that Murphy has been exhausted by the interview requests from foreign media since arriving at Whistler where his event will be staged.

Murphy is one of a handful of athletes from countries not associated with winter sports joining the likes of Travers Dow who is a skier from the Cayman Islands, skier Seck Leyti from Senegal, Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong who is a skier from Ghana and Robel Teklemariam who is a cross-country skier from Ethiopia. In all there are 11 athletes who will be their country's lone representative at these Games.

Bermuda nasty weather this past week has played a part in the Opening Ceremonies. Bermuda Olympic Association president Judy Simons had her flight delayed to Vancouver and was on her way their yesterday and BOA general secretary Phillip Guishard was bumped off his flight.

So last night Murphy carried the flag accompanied by Bromby, his manager and father Michael Murphy and his coach Martin Bianchi.

Bromby said: "I arrived here late Saturday and Tucker and his dad arrived on Monday morning. Unfortunately Phil got bumped off his flight and Judy is on the way here now but I think she will miss the Opening Ceremony. But Tucker's coach is here and he will be marching."

Coach Bianchi competed in the last Winter Olympics in Torino.

Bromby said: "I think Tucker has been a bit overwhelmed by the amount of press (he is receiving from around the world). He has been pounded a bit since getting here so after today we are going to say 'that's it' until after the event. Dealing with the press has been the hardest part for him because he is a quiet guy who just wants to get out there and compete."

But Bermuda's Olympic team are in comfortable surroundings.

"We are up in Whistler and the (Athletes) Village is wonderful – you couldn't ask for a nicer place to stay. It is in a little valley at the base of the hill. But unfortunately it is far away from where the Opening Ceremony is taking place. We have top get on the bus in about and hour and it is two and half hours to get there and two and half back. But we are really close to where Tucker's event (15 kilometre cross-country) is – only about 10 minutes away so that is great."

The decision to wear Bermuda shorts in the Opening Ceremony was Murphy's, said Bromby.

"I asked Tucker what he wanted to do – I said it is your call – and he said he would do the traditional thing. But then again this is the first time that the Opening Ceremony at the Winter Olympics have been held inside."

Murphy, his father and coach all wore bright red shorts with navy blue blazers while Bromby wore a red skirt with blazer last night – a fact that was remarked upon by NBC commentator Bob Costas.

Both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will take place in BC Palace Stadium. The venue is the world's largest air-supported stadium, taking its shape from the use of internal pressurised air to inflate a pliable material, such as fabric, so that air is the main support of the structure.

Last night's performances during the Opening Ceremony focused on Canadian and Aboriginal culture, bringing the music and dance traditional to the region to viewers around the world.

Approximately 55,000 attended last night festivities.

"These are the largest Winter Games ever – there will be 82 countries competing," added Bromby who was also the Chef de Mission at the Torino Winter Olympics four years ago when Patrick Singleton represented Bermuda in the skeleton.