The Bermuda Triathlon Association has announced Bermuda’s team for the NatWest Island Games to be held in Jersey.
33 year old Tucker Murphy, who competed for Bermuda in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and was 3rd in the AON National Sprint Triathlon Championships, will lead the Men’s team. Murphy finished in 6th place during the last Island Games held in Bermuda in 2013 clocking a time of 2:06:41.
43 year old Travis Cooper has represented Bermuda at various events including as an Age Grouper at the World Championships and finished 5th in the AON National Sprint Triathlon Championships with a solid all round performance that shows that his preparation for these Games is going well.
The Women’s team will most likely have the best chance of collecting a medal with Martina Olcheski Bell, who this year has already won the National Olympic and Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships, Karen Smith and Julia Hawley all likely to be in the mix with Belinda Castree providing the basis for a strong Women’s team.
Olcheski Bell finished 8th in the Bermuda Island Games but has improved considerably since then and her confidence will be high going into these Jersey Games after her two championship wins. Her time in the Bermuda Games was 2:24:16, the Bronze Medal winner in 2013 was Bermuda’s Laurie Orchard who will not be in Jersey.
Smith’s form going into these games will be uncertain as she has been deliberately protecting a recurring foot injury as she concentrates towards getting ready for these games and therefore did not finish the Bermuda National Olympic or the Sprint Distance Championships despite leading off the Bike in both events. If she can get her injury under control and get in some good run training then Smith will be the most likely medal winner for Bermuda.
Hawley has tremendous experience having competed for Bermuda for many years and was just 27 seconds behind Olcheski Bell at the Catlin Olympic Distance National Championships where she took Silver.
In the past few years Castree has emerged as one Bermuda’s leading Female Triathletes and she is noted for her strong Swim and Bike. Her run has been her Achilles heel but if she can improve on it before June 28th she should place well at these games.
In addition to the individual event there is a team competition for Men and Women with the lowest combined time for the top three Men on each team counting towards the Men’s Medals and the lowest combined time for the top two Women on each team counting towards the Women’s Medals.
Bermuda took Silver in the Women’s team category in 2013 and the Men narrowly missed a Medal finishing in 4th. However in Jersey only the Women will be eligible for the team medals as Bermuda only have two Men competing, but with such a strong Women’s team Bermuda should be in with a good chance of a medal.
