Malaysian shuttler Dato’ Lee Chong Wei will be the flag-bearer for the Malaysian contingent at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics on 5th August!
The decision was made by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) executive board members during the board meeting at Wisma OCM on Thursday (2nd June).
According to NST, this will be the 34-year-old badminton player’s first time carrying the Jalur Gemilang in the Olympics. The 2-time Olympic silver medalist is most unlikely to participate in the 2020 Tokyo games.
“I believe this is the right move because this will likely be his (Lee Chong Wei) last Olympics. Badminton athletes also represent one third of the total athletes who have qualified for the Games,” said OCM deputy president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria.
He added that the board hopes this opportunity will encourage him more as he was not given the chance before. Diver Pandelela Rinong was Malaysia’s flag-bearer at the London Games 4 years ago.
Dato’ Lee Chong Wei has participated in 3 previous Olympic Games in 2004, 2008, and 2012. It was recently recorded that he has the fastest smash in badminton history.
So far, 22 athletes from 9 sports, including badminton, swimming, diving, high jump, archery, shooting, sailing, and weightlifting, have been confirmed for the upcoming global sporting event.
The Rio 2016 Summer Olympics will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 5th to 21st August.
