Six Bermuda athletes who competed at the 2012 London Olympics have had their IOC scholarships upgraded from interim to full as they build towards Rio 2016.

The interim scholarships were handed out in January, while the full versions will take effect immediately.

Each athlete will receive $1,000 each month until August 2016, under the IOC Olympic Solidarity Programme.

Tyrone Smith and Arantxa King, both long jumpers, triathletes Flora Duffy and Tyler Butterfield, show jumper Jill Terceira and swimmer Roy-Allan Burch were the athletes awarded the scholarships.

Olympic Solidarity is the IOC commission responsible for administering and managing the National Olympic Committees’ share of the broadcast rights from the Olympic Games. It redistributes these funds through programmes according to the needs and priorities of the NOCs and their Continental Associations.

The programmes enable the NOCs to provide technical and financial assistance to athletes preparing for international competitions.

Judy Simons, the Bermuda Olympic Association, president, said: “The BOA is jubilant that the IOC has awarded scholarships to Bermuda’s elite athletes who represented us so well at the London Games.

“As they continue to prepare for Rio, our athletes have committed themselves to almost full-time training and coaching, which requires a substantial financial commitment.

“The BOA is pleased to have assisted them in securing financial support for this period and in helping foster their journeys to success.”