RP Olympic team
leaves Aug. 7
By Inquirer News Service

THE PHILIPPINE contingent to the Athens Olympics is leaving for Greece on August 7.

Chief of mission Steve Hontiveros said the only remaining minor problem is finding a flight that can accommodate the six of 13 athletes, who have so far qualified, and a handful of officials.

With the four boxers and the three taekwondo jins going to Athens straight from their respective international tune-up tournaments, the rest of the athletes and officials will be flying in six days before the Olympiad formally begins.

Hontiveros said the RP contingent is choosing between taking Air France and Thai Airways. If they take the Air France flight, the delegation will have to stay one night in Paris because of an 18-hour wait. Via Thai Airways, the athletes and coaches will have to stop over in Bangkok for eight hours.

Boxers Chris Camat, Romeo Brin, Violito Payla and Harry Tañamor and jins Donald Geisler, Tshomlee Go and Ma. Antoinette Rivero are the country's main hopes to end its Olympic gold medal drought.

The other Olympic bets are Jasmin Figueroa in archery, Jethro Dionisio in shooting, Miguel Molina and Miguel Mendoza in swimming and Eduardo Buenavista and Lerma Bulauitan-Gabito in athletics. Marc Anthony Reyes