The Paris Olympics is around the corner, and nations have started announcing the flag bearers of the mega sporting event. Team USA, on Monday, named LeBron James as their male flagbearer for Paris 2024. The mega ceremony will take place on Friday on the River Seine, where LeBron will be the male athlete representing Team USA, and the female flagbearer will be announced on Tuesday.
"It's an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together," Los Angeles Lakers power forward James said in a statement from the USOPC.
For India, Two-time Olympic medallist and 2019 World Champion in badminton PV Sindhu will be India's female flag-bearer alongside veteran Table Tennis player Sharath Kamal in the opening ceremony of Paris Olympics.
PV Sindhu, currently ranked World No. 12, has been the face of Indian badminton for years. The silver medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics against Spain's Carolina Marin saw her become the first Indian badminton player to reach the final of the showpiece event.
"I am also delighted to announce that India's only woman to win two Olympic medals, PV Sindhu, as the female Flag-bearer alongside Table Tennis ace A Sharath Kamal in the opening ceremony," said IOA president PT Usha.
{{/usCountry}}"I am also delighted to announce that India's only woman to win two Olympic medals, PV Sindhu, as the female Flag-bearer alongside Table Tennis ace A Sharath Kamal in the opening ceremony," said IOA president PT Usha.
{{/usCountry}}B-Boy Shigekix and fencer Emura Misaki were named as Japan’s flag-bearers for the mega sporting event.
Shigekix said the appointment meant a lot not only individually but also for the entire breaking community.
“I’m really happy about this to be honest,” Shigekix told reporters at the Japanese Olympic Museum in Tokyo. When I was first told it might be me, I thought it was proof that the work we in breaking have been putting in is going somewhere," he added.
Flagbearers of their respective nations at the Paris Olympics
South Korea: Woo Sang-hyeok and Kim Seo-yeong
India: Sharath Kamal and PV Sindhu
Pakistan: Arshad Nadeem and Jehanara Nabi
USA: LeBron James
Paris: Florent Manaudou and Mélina Robert-Michon
Chinese Taipei: Sun Chen and Tai Tzu-ying
Japan: B-Boy Shigekix and Emura Misaki
Spain: Marcus Cooper Walz and Támara Echegoyen
Italy: Gianmarco Tamberi and Arianna Errigo