CUBA is sending 110 athletes to the 30th Olympic Games in London, to compete in 14 sporting events. The delegation is focused on improving its performance as compared to the Beijing Games, four years ago.

The country will be represented in 15 of the 36 disciplines scheduled for the Summer Games and is hoping for medals in 87 of the 302 trials which make up the competitive program, set to be inaugurated July 27 and conclude August 12.

The athletes’ commitment to their people and the following each one enjoys will motivate the delegation to fulfill its motto, "To London, with the dignity, honor and courage of Cubans."

The National Sports, Physical Education and Recreation Institute (INDER) reported that the preparatory work for the Games began with 252 athletes. Ultimately selected to constitute the Cuban Olympic delegation were 65 men and 45 women, who are in excellent physical and mental condition. Forty-eight percent of the group participated in the Beijing ’08 competition.

The delegation includes representatives from 14 provinces and 61 municipalities. They will be accompanied by 40 coaches.

Among the principal London Olympic hopefuls are Dayron Robles, from Guantánamo, competing in the 110-meter hurdles; Greco-Roman wrestler Mijaín López, from Pinar del Río; World Champion light heavyweight boxer Julio César La Cruz, from Camagüey, as well as stellar hammer thrower Yipsi Moreno, World Champion in Edmonton ‘01 and Paris ‘03, silver medalist in Athens ‘04 and Beijing ‘08.

Yarelys Barrios, discus thrower from Pinar del Río, Olympic runner-up in Beijing ‘08, as well as in the 2007 and 2009 World Championships, and a bronze medal winner in 2011, is also hoping to fulfill her dream of a gold medal in London.

Also included in this promising group are José Antonio Guerra from Santiago de Cuba and Camagüey’s Jeinkler Aguirre, who are competing as a duo in synchronized platform diving.

Before traveling to the event, diver José Antonio Guerra acknowledged that the Chinese are favored in the competition, while the level of other duos, who the Cubans have defeated on other occasions, is about even.