Six-time boxing world champion and 2012 bronze medallist, MC Mary Kom and Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh will be India’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympics, the Indian Olympic Association confirmed on Monday.
Wrestler Bajrang Punia will be the flag-bearer for the closing ceremony.
Abhinav Bindra was the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent at the Rio opening ceremony. That honour fell to Sushil Kumar for the 2012 London Games.
At its executive board meeting last year, the International Olympic Committee had made provisions for flag-bearers from both genders at the opening ceremony, reported PTI.
“...the IOC Executive Board also decided that there should be – for the first time ever – at least one female and one male athlete in every one of the 206 teams and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team participating at the Games of the Olympiad,” IOC chief Thomas Bach had said.
India are looking to improve on their tally of two medals at Rio Olympics at the Tokyo Games. India will send a contingent of more than 100 athletes to the Games that have been delayed by a year by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 7.
More to follow