China has announced that table tennis legend Ma Long and artistic swimming team captain Feng Yu will be the nation’s flagbearers at the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, set to take place on Friday night along the River Seine.
Ma Long, 35, is widely regarded as one of the greatest table tennis players in history. With an illustrious career that includes two Olympic men’s singles gold medals, three Olympic team titles, three World Championship golds, and three World Cup titles, Ma is set to make his fourth Olympic appearance in Paris. In this edition, he will compete exclusively in the men’s team event.
Feng Yu, 24, is a decorated athlete in artistic swimming, formerly known as synchronized swimming. As the captain of the Chinese artistic swimming team, she led her team to a silver medal at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games three years ago. Paris 2024 marks her second Olympic journey.
“I was both surprised and happy when I learned that I was chosen as China’s flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Games,” Feng said in a video posted on social media. “I look forward to displaying the spirit of Chinese athletes and hope that the team can achieve more success this time.”
The selection of Ma Long and Feng Yu as flagbearers reflects China’s strength and diversity in both individual and team sports. Their leadership is expected to inspire the Chinese delegation as they compete on the global stage in Paris.
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Ma Long, Feng Yu to carry flag for China at Olympic Opening Ceremony
cgtn.com
