President of the Mexican Olympic Committee Felipe Munoz on Monday asked his athletes to represent Mexico with responsibility in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
In the second meeting for the integration of the Mexican delegation for the Olympics, Munoz together with Carlos Hermosillo, head of the National Committee of Sports and Physical Culture (CONADE) invited the sportsmen to behave with respect inside and outside of the competitions.
"This is a great responsibility. All the country will be observant of what you do. You must be careful with what you say, we have to think twice what we say, what we do", Munoz said in the Olympic Sports Center in Mexico City.
Munoz said the Mexican delegation will compete in Beijing with the best sportsmen of the country, and he guaranteed they will make their best effort in China.
"I am sure that we will be well represented with you" referring to the 81 Mexican athletes going to Beijing.
"We must spill until the last drop of sweat. I ask you to take care of yourselves in all aspects, to concentrate and to train", Hermosillo added, who also emphasized the exigent selection criteria made to send the athletes to compete.
The meeting started with a breakfast served at the Olympic Sports Center which was attended by high national sports authorities and the ambassador of China, Yin Hengmin.
Afterwards some 40 athletes enjoyed a show of Chinese dragons before the motivational chats that were offered by Olympic medal winners: Daniel Aceves (silver in Los Angeles 1984) and Soraya Jimenez (gold in Sydney 2000).
Monday afternoon President Felipe Calderon will host a private lunch in the official residency Los Pinos for the Olympic athletes and will give them the uniforms they will wear in Beijing 2008.
Mexican authorities deny to give a forecast of the possible medals to win in the Olympic games, but said they hope for seven or nine finals where anything could happen.
(Xinhua News Agency June 10, 2008)