HAVANA, Cuba.- An advanced group of the Cuban Olympic team traveled to London on Sunday to conclude its training program prior to the Olympic Games, scheduled to take place July 27-August 12 in the capita of the United Kingdom.

This is the first of two sports collectives, which includes 48 athletes, executives and trainers of cycling, diving, archery, sports shooting, rowing, table tennis and weight lifting, according to a report by the Cuban TV from the Jose Marti International Airport.

The Cuban Olympic delegation, made up of a total of 110 athletes in 14 sports disciplines, will be headed by the president of the Cuban Sports Institute, Cristian Jimenez.

“I do not find much difference among our rivals, except for the Chinese, however the competition will be marked by a strong rivalry, said diving expert Jose Antonio Guerra, who is favorite in his modality.

Table tennis specialist Andy Pereira recognized the high quality of competitors, since the best tennis players in the world will be London.

Rower Yaniulbis Cobas, who will make her Olympic debut in London, said she felt she was among the best athletes in her specialty as she expects to bring a medal to the Cuban people.

Cuban sports executives recently said the island is looking forward to improving its poor performance in Beijing 2008, where local athletes only got two medals.