Mexico Expects to Field Team of Over 100 at London Olympics EFE
go to original April 17, 2012

Mexico's Maria del Rosario Espinosa (in blue) battles Dominican competitor Deysy Montes de Oca at the November 2011 Pan American Taekwando Championship in Queretaro, Mexico. (EFE)

MEXICO CITY - Mexico expects to field a team of more than 100 athletes for the Summer Olympics, with more than 20 qualifying as among the 16 best in their sports, 2012 London Olympics delegation head and Mexican Olympic Committee member Jaime Cadaval said Monday.

"Until we have the names of those selected and of their rivals, we will not be able to do an analysis, but, generally speaking, I believe that more than 20 Mexicans can be in the top 16," Cadaval told Efe.

Mexico won two gold medals in taekwondo at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, thanks to the performances of Maria Espinoza and Guillermo Perez, as well as a bronze that went to Paola Espinosa and Tatiana Ortiz in 10-meter synchronized platform diving.

Mexican athletes are making progress and the team will head to London with more competitors, Cadaval said.

The Mexican Olympic Committee member, however, refused to make any projections on the number of medals the team would win in London.

Taekwondo, diving, track and field, archery and boxing are the sports with the greatest potential to produce medals in London, but the soccer team is looking good and cannot be counted out, Cadaval said.

Pan American Games gymnastics champion Diego Corral also looks like he has the potential to go far at the Summer Olympics, the Mexican Olympic Committee member said.

"We also cannot rule out Pan American modern pentathlon king Oscar Soto, or any of the other sports, like weight lifting," Cadaval said.

Mexican Olympic team members will get all the support they need to arrive in London in the best possible shape to compete, thanks to the National Sports Commission's strong budget, Cadaval said.

Mexico has won 55 medals, including 12 golds, since making its debut at the 1900 Paris Games.

Olympic taekwondo champ Maria Espinoza and Paola Espinosa, who won a gold at the 2009 World Diving Championships, have already confirmed that they plan to compete in London.

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