Mark Foster to carry UK flag in Beijing
Veteran swimmer Mark Foster will carry the flag at Friday's opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the British Olympic Association (BOA) announced on Thursday.
Foster, 38, is competing in his fifth Games having made his Olympic debut at Seoul in 1988.
But two years ago he announced his retirement from elite competition after finishing fourth in the 50 metres freestyle at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne as injuries started to take their toll.
However, he changed his mind and he won the British 50m freestyle trials earlier this year to book his place in Beijing.
"I was blown away when I was told. It was a big surprise and a huge honour. It's fantastic," Foster, the first swimmer to carry British flag at an Olympic opening ceremony since Anita Lonsborough in 1964 at Tokyo, told the BOA's official website.
"Some of the most wonderful names in British sport have been Olympic flag-bearers," added Foster, who succeeds judoka Kate Howey and multiple rowing gold medallists Matthew Pinsent and Steve Redgrave.
"I really wanted to be picked but I didn't totally believe I would be. My heart was pumping when the announcement was made. Making the Olympic Games this time around was fantastic in itself, but this has really topped it off. It's phenomenal," he admitted.
Foster, a four-time world short course champion at 50m, when races are swum in a 25 meter pool, has a best Olympic placing of sixth in the 1992 Games in Barcelona.
Foster, 38, is competing in his fifth Games having made his Olympic debut at Seoul in 1988.
But two years ago he announced his retirement from elite competition after finishing fourth in the 50 metres freestyle at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne as injuries started to take their toll.
However, he changed his mind and he won the British 50m freestyle trials earlier this year to book his place in Beijing.
"I was blown away when I was told. It was a big surprise and a huge honour. It's fantastic," Foster, the first swimmer to carry British flag at an Olympic opening ceremony since Anita Lonsborough in 1964 at Tokyo, told the BOA's official website.
"Some of the most wonderful names in British sport have been Olympic flag-bearers," added Foster, who succeeds judoka Kate Howey and multiple rowing gold medallists Matthew Pinsent and Steve Redgrave.
"I really wanted to be picked but I didn't totally believe I would be. My heart was pumping when the announcement was made. Making the Olympic Games this time around was fantastic in itself, but this has really topped it off. It's phenomenal," he admitted.
Foster, a four-time world short course champion at 50m, when races are swum in a 25 meter pool, has a best Olympic placing of sixth in the 1992 Games in Barcelona.