Bermuda has participated in the Olympics since the 1936 Olympic Summer Games and won their only medal, a bronze, in the 1976 Olympic Summer Games, captured by boxer Clarence Hill.
In terms of Winter Olympics, Bermuda first sent their Winter Olympian, Simon Payne, in 1992. He competed in the luge then and again in 1994 where he reached 30th in Men's Singles. Today, he appears to practice law. The tiny, Atlantic nation then passed on its Luge prowess to Patrick Singleton, pictured on the left. Often sporting only the traditional Bermuda shorts in sub-zero temperatures, he has competed in every Winter Olympics since.
In 1998, he fell in love with Nagano and Japanese culture as a whole. There, here met skeleton racer Kazuhiro Koshi, who helped him switch from the luge. Both men have qualified for this year's Olympics. Mr. Payne switched to the skeleton in 2002 when it became an available Olympic sport, which literally means going head first, belly down on a bobsled/luge track rather than feet first, belly up on a sled.
In order to qualify for the skeleton this year, Mr. Singleton had to reach 60th in the world Skeleton rankings, the place he holds as he heads into Vancouver.
Mr. Payne is joined this year by Dartmouth prep-lad Tucker Murphy, who turns 29 this year. He represents Dartmouth's class of 2004 where he rowed as well as skied. Scientifically minded, he studied Biology in College and went on to earn a Rhodes Scholarship. He qualified under a cross-country rule stating that given his participation in the 2009 World Championships, he is able to represent Bermuda in the 15km sprint, an event that many of our small or tropical nations have entered.
Let's Hear it for Bermuda
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