Tokyo Olympics: Mary Kom and Manpreet Singh are the flag bearers for opening ceremony

London Olympics medalist boxer Mary Kom and Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh will be the flag bearers of the Indian contingent in the Tokyo Olympics’ opening ceremony on July 23.

Mary Kom will be competing in her second Olympics, she missed the berth in the 2016 Rio Olympics, while Manpreet will be competing in his third Olympics (London, Rio and Tokyo).

Kom, who hails from Manipur, will be the first-ever athlete from the state to have the honour of leading the contingent in the Olympics. While Manpreet, who hails from Punjab, will be the 7th athlete from Punjab after Balbir Singh Senior, Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Randhir Singh, Kartar Singh, Pargat Singh and Abhinav Bindra to lead the contingent on the opening ceremony.    

The announcement was made today by the Indian Olympic Association.

The total strength of the Indian contingent in Tokyo will be over 200, including 125 athletes.

Wrestler Bajrang Punia will be the flag bearer at the closing ceremony.

It is for the first time in the history of the Olympics that there would be two flag bearers in the opening ceremony of the quadrennial games. From this time, the International Olympic Council (IOC) has changed the rules to include two flag bearers, including a woman athlete. To give equal representation to women, the IOC has decided to have one man and a woman athlete to be the flag bearers at the opening ceremony.