More PH bets seek Olympic berths

The Philippine Olympic Committee is three athletes away from achieving its desired delegation size in the London Olympics.

Philippine chef de mission Manny Lopez said Olympic aspirants from archery, weightlifting, BMX cycling and swimming remain hopeful of qualifying to meet the country’s target of sending 10 Filipino athletes to the Summer Games slated July 27 to Aug. 12.

“We’re pinning our hopes on these sports to increase [the number of] our Olympians,” said Lopez, also the POC first vice president. “We’ll be happy if we could bring 10 athletes there.”

From among the candidates, Filipino-American cyclists Daniel Caluag and Alexis Vergara have the brightest chances of making it.

Caluag, a four-time BMX No.1 pro in the United States, and Vergara, once ranked ninth in the US Elite Pro Tour, are seeing action in the UCI BMX World Championship on May 24 to 27 in Birmingham, Britain.

The two already earned high ranking points in the Asian BMX Championship in Hong Kong in March and the 2012 BMX Supercross World Cup last month in Chula Vista, California.

The country’s Olympic qualifiers are swimmers Jessie Khing Lacuna and Jasmine Alkhaldi, boxer Mark Anthony Barriga, judoka Tomohiko Hoshina, skeet shooter Brian Rosario, long jumper Marestella Torres and steeplechaser Rene Herrera.