Libya is once again expected to send a small team to this year’s Olympics in London. Eight Libyans participated at Athens 2004 and seven at Beijing 2008. Check out this video in which I profile three Libyan Olympic hopefuls.

The Libyans sent only one athlete to the country’s first Olympics in Tokyo in 1964. And only one Libyan competed at the 1968 Games in Mexico City.

Libyan Olympic officials say they hope to send at least nine athletes to London. They add if they can’t get on the Olympic medals table for the first time at London 2012, they hope to do so at Rio de Janeiro 2016.

Mohamed Khouaja, the national record holder at 200 meters and 400 meters, says the Libyan Olympic team in London will be remembering those who died last year in the country’s revolution. “God willing, we will do our best for Libya,” says the 24-year-old Khouaja, “just as the martyrs did and sacrificed their lives for Libya and this blessed revolution. So, we also hope to give something to them and to our people.”