A total of 109 Venezuelan athletes will compete in the Beijing Olympics, which double that for the Athens 2004 (47) and Sydney 2000 (51).

The record was achieved through the invitation of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAA) which gave one wild card to the Venezuelan Federation of Athletics (FVA).

Thus, Venezuela is on the sixth place of the Americas and 21st in the world for the number of athletes for the Olympics.

Maria Gonzalez, 26, became the sportswomen number 26 to represent Venezuela.

Gonzalez made 54.87 meters in javelin during the Athletics Grand Prix in Bogota on Saturday.

The Venezuela's medal hopefuls are fencer Silvio Fernandez, boxers Alfonso Blanco and Hector Manzanilla, wrestler Mayelis Carpia, cyclist Jonathan Suarez, swimmer Albert Subirats and the women's softball team.

Venezuela will compete in the Beijing Olympics with 52 women and 57 men in 20 sports.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2008)