QUITO -- The 13-athlete Ecuadorean delegation for the London Olympics aims to have an outstanding performance, Ecuadorean National Athletics Federation's President Fausto Mendoza said Thursday.
"We have great expectations and illusions about the participation of our athletic team in Olympics. The competition will be tough but we hope they can reach semifinals or even the final," said Mendoza to Xinhua.
Byron Piedra (10,000 meters), Alex Quinonez (200 meters) and Diego Ferrin (high jump) stand out in the Ecuadorean athletics' delegation.
Mendoza, who traveled Thursday to London, added that eight athletes are still training in the Spanish cities of Madrid and Barcelona, while the rest is in Ecuador.
"The training has been intense, all the delegation will be in London by July 29," said Mendoza, adding that the goal "is to get experience."
The Ecuadorean runners intensified their training abroad led by their coaches, which helped them improve their technique.
Mendoza said that Ecuador' s main opportunity to win comes from Diego Ferrin, 24, and South American high jump champion, hoping he will end within the best 10 world jumpers.
Ferrin achieved his qualification for London last year by reaching a B record after jumping 2.28 meters in Buenos Aires, where he became South American champion.
In the Mexican Guadalajara 2011 Pan-American Games, Ferrin won silver medal with a 2.30-meter jump and achieved an A record.
Ferrin trains permanently in Cuba.
On May, Ferrin said he will look for the gold medal in London.
"I always arrive to every competition mentally prepared to jump and win the gold medal, but if I don't achieve it, I would like to have a good performance and stay within the finalists. If I jump around 2.34 meters I would have the possibility to win a medal," he said.
