New Delhi: Two-time medallist PV Sindhu and table tennis ace A Sharath Kamal will be India’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony of 2024 Paris Olympics while London Olympic bronze medallist shooter Gagan Narang was announced as Chef-de-Mission.
Narang replaced boxing great Mary Kom as Chef-de-Mission after her resignation. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president PT Usha said being the deputy Ched-de-Mission to Mary Kom, promoting Narang was an automatic choice.
“I was looking for an Olympic medallist to lead our contingent and my young colleague is an apt replacement for Mary Kom,” PT Usha said in a media statement.
“I am also delighted to announce that India’s only woman to win two Olympic medals, PV Sindhu, as the female flag-bearer alongside table tennis ace A Sharath Kamal in the opening ceremony.
“I am confident that our athletes are well prepared to deliver the best results for India in Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” she added.
The Paris Olympics begins on July 26 with India sending its largest ever contingent of over 125 athletes, hoping to claim its best medals haul.
Press Release 🚨 pic.twitter.com/hRv5iuTGnU
— Team India (@WeAreTeamIndia) July 8, 2024
Six-time world champion boxer Mary Kom had stepped down in April citing personal reasons after being named CDM in March this year.
The IOA also decided to add Sindhu to be the flag bearer alongside Sharath Kamal, having namded him in March but deferred on picking the female athlete.
In 2020, the International Olympic Committee changed its protocol to allow one female and and one male athlete of each country to hold the flag jointly during the opening ceremony.
At Tokyo 2020, Mary Kom and former hockey captain Manpreet Singh were the country’s flag bearers.
Narang was earlier appointed to oversee India’s operations at the Paris Olympics shooting range but now that he has been chosen to be CDM, the IOA will have to find someone else to replace him.
London Olympic bronze medallist shooter Gagan Narang was announced as Chef-de-Mission. Other Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
