Get to know more about the 11 Pinoy athletes who will compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games in hopes to bring home the first Olympic Gold for the country.

The Philippines is the first Southeast Asian country to win an Olympic medal, a bronze for swimming courtesy of Teofilo Yldefonso at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.

Since then, we’ve already won two silvers (both from boxing) and seven bronze medals (from athletics, swimming and boxing).

However, a gold medal was elusive to the country through the years unlike our neighboring Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia which already got 6 and Thailand which already won 7.

The hopes of winning the country’s first ever Olympic gold now lie to the following 11 athletes who are about to fly to London for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Here are the 11 Pinoy Olympians for the 2012 London Olympic Games:

JASMINE ALKHALDI
SWIMMING (100 M FREESTYLE)

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: JUNE 20, 1993 (19 YRS OLD)
• Place of Birth: PARANAQUE
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• 2011 SOUTHEAST ASIAN AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS 3 -GOLD MEDALIST
• QUALIFIED TO THE OLYMPICS BY UNIVERSALITY THROUGH HER PARTICIPATION AND BEST TIME IN THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
• 2010 SINGAPORE NATIONAL AGE GROUP CHAMPIONSHIPS 2-BRONZE MEDALS

MARK ANTHONY BARRIGA
BOXING (49 KGS. LIGHTFLYWEIGHT)

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: JUNE 11, 1993 (19 YRS OLD)
• Place of Birth: PANABO, DAVAO
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• FIRST FILIPINO TO QUALIFY TO THE LONDON 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES
• GOLD MEDAL IN THE 2012 SYDNEY JACKSON MEMORIAL TASHKENT UZBEKISTAN
• OLYMPIC QUALIFIER IN THE 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AZERBAIJAN

DANIEL MANABAT CALUAG
CYCLING (BMX)
PRESENTLY IN THE U.S.

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: JANUARY 15, 1987 (25 YRS OLD)
• Place of Birth: FIL-AM BUT HAILS FROM BULACAN
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• AMONG TOP 60 RIDERS IN THE WORLD
• PARTICIPATED IN THE UCI BMX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

HIDILYN DIAZ
WEIGHTLIFTING (58 KGS)

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: FEBRUARY 20, 1991 (21 YRS OLD)
• Place of Birth: ZAMBOANGA CITY
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• RANKED 9TH IN THE WORLD
• FIRST FILIPINO FEMALE TO COMPETE IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES
• WILD CARD ENTRY IN THE 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
• 2007 SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES BRONZE MEDALIST
• 2 GOLDS & 1 SILVER IN THE ASIAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

RENE HERRERA
ATHLETICS (5,000 METER RUN)

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: MAY 24, 1979 (33 YRS OLD)
• Place of Birth: GUIMARAS ISLAND, ILOILO
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• 5-TIME SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES DEFENDING CHAMPION
• RANKS 8TH IN ASIAN 5,000 METER RUN & 3,000 METER STEEPLECHASE
• 8TH IN THE 2006 DOHA ASIAN GAMES 3,000 STEEPLECHASE

TOMOHIKO ALDABA HOSHINA
ATHLETE – JUDO (+100 KGS. SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT)
CURRENTLY IN JAPAN

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: JULY 4, 1987
• Place of Birth: FIL-JAP BUT MOTHER HAILS FROM BULACAN
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• GARNERED 27 RANKING POINTS IN 2011 WORLD JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS
• AMONG 20 ASIANS TO QUALIFY TO THE LONDON OLYMPICS
• 2007 SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES SILVER MEDALIST

JESSIE KHING LACUNA
SWIMMING (200 M FREESTYLE)

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: DECEMBER 23, 1993 (18 YRS OLD)
• Place of Birth: PULILAN, BULACAN
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• 6 GOLD MEDALS IN THE 2ND PHILIPPINE NATIONAL GAMES
• QUALIFIED TO THE OLYMPICS BY UNIVERSALITY THROUGH HIS PARTICIPATION AND BEST TIME IN THE 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

BRIAN ROSARIO
SHOOTING (SKEET)

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: APRIL 17, 1982 (29 YRS OLD)
• Place of Birth: MANILA
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• CURRENTLY THE BEST FILIPINO SKEET SHOOTER HITTING 6 TIMES THE MINIMUM QUALIFYING OLYMPIC SCORE SINCE 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
• 2011 SYDNEY WORLD CUP SERIES HITTING THE MINIMUM QUALIFYING SCORE
• ITALIAN WORLD CUP OF SHOTGUN MINIMUM SCORER
• 2005 SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES DOUBLE GOLD MEDALIST

MARESTELLA TORRES
ATHLETICS ( WOMEN LONG JUMP)

Personal Circumstance
• Date of Birth: FEB 20, 1981 (32 YRS OLD)
• Place of Birth: SA JOSE, NEGROS ORIENTAL
• Civil Status: SINGLE

Achievements in Sports (From the most recent to the earliest)
• 4-TIME SOUTHEAST ASIAN GAMES LONG JUMP DEFENDING CHAMPION
• 2009 ASIAN ATHLETICS LONG JUMP CHAMPION
• COMPETED IN THE 2008 BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES
• 2005 ASIAN ATHLETICS LONG JUMP SILVER MEDALIST

Please pray that the 11-member Philippine Olympic team will do their best in their respective fields and that any one of them could bring the country’s first Olympic gold.