Archers, judoka off to London

Fresh from overseas training, archers Mark Javier and Rachel Anne Cabral and Fil-Japanese judoka Tomohiko Hoshina leave tonight for Hong Kong en route to London  to join eight other teammates seeing action in the Olympic Games.

Javier, Cabral and Hoshina comprised the last group of Filipino athletes to take off for the British capital, more than a week before the Olympics opens with a  welcome party on July 27.

They came back the other day after wrapping up the final phase of their respective buildups in South Korea and Japan.

Philippine team chef de mission Manny Lopez, who left on Tuesday evening, will meet the trio at the Heathrow airport and accompany them to the  Olympic Village, home to more than 16,000 athletes and officials from 204 nations for the next three weeks.

Long jumper Marestella Torres, long distance runner Rene Herrera, shooter Brian Rosario, boxer Mark Anthony Barriga, and swimmers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie Khing Lacuna will also check in in the 65-acre Village.

These athletes are now on the closing stage of a free three-week training camp. BMX rider Danny Caluag, presently training in the Netherlands, is expected to join his teammates early next week.