China said table tennis star Ma Long and synchronized swimmer team captain Feng Yu will serve as flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Friday.
Zhang Xin, secretary-general of the Chinese Olympic delegation, said the selection of the pair reflected "recognition of veterans and encouragement of rising stars".
The appointments were confirmed by the Chinese Olympic Committee on the social media platform Weibo. The opening ceremony will take place on Saturday at 1:30 a.m. Hong Kong time on the Seine.
Ma Long is a five-time Olympic gold medalist and is widely regarded as one of the sport's greatest athletes, while Feng Shanshan won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
Discussing the reasoning behind the decision, Zhang said that Ma Lin embodied the "perseverance" required to persevere as an Olympic athlete for a long time, while Feng Shanshan led her team to a series of outstanding results on the world stage.
"Feng Yu's ability to serve as the flag bearer of the opening ceremony is not only a recognition of the development of the sport, but also an encouragement for young athletes to grow and improve."
Ma Long said he was "deeply proud" to be selected as the flag bearer, noting that this is not only his personal recognition, but also the result of "the accumulation and inheritance of national table tennis players".
In an interview with state media, Ma Long said: "Table tennis is not only a sport, but also a story, a song of long-term dedication. ”
Feng Shanshan said that being able to attend the opening ceremony of the Games was "the greatest honour as a synchronized swimmer".
"This is my second time participating in the Olympic Games, and I look forward to showing the spirit of Chinese athletes to the world on the field, and I look forward to our whole team making breakthroughs in the competition," she told the national media. ”
In Tokyo, Zhu Ting, captain of the Chinese volleyball team, and Zhao Shuai, the champion of taekwondo, assumed the honor of the flag bearer of the Chinese delegation.