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Olympic and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will carry the Union Flag for Team GB at Friday’s Rio 2016 opening ceremony. Jamie played an important part in Great Britain’s triumph in the sports team competition past year, winning the doubles rubber with Andy against France, Australia and Belgium in the final.
Murray believes the experience will inspire his effort to retain his Olympic title and in his doubles bid with brother Jamie – and that his chances will not be hurt by tonight’s late night.
Tennis Team Leader Iain Bates added: “Being the Flagbearer for your country at the Olympics is an incredible honour and I am absolutely thrilled for Andy”.
The Scot said: “It’s by far the proudest moment of my professional career”.
“I don’t know exactly the reasons for that”. I felt proud and humble.
“I’m going to blame the photographers for what happened because I was being given directions and ended up putting the flag in front of Princess Anne’s face”, said Murray.
Adams, who made history by becoming the first ever women’s Olympic gold medal winning boxer four years ago, would have been only Great Britain’s seventh female flag bearer since 1906 and the first to do so at a summer Games since the judoka Kate Howey at Athens 2004.
The much-decorated Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, too, were looking forward to the Games, and add to the United States collection of gold medals.
“I was speechless, really”, he said about learning Tuesday night he had been chosen to lead Great Britain’s delegation.
The three-time Grand Slam champion, who won gold in the men’s singles at London 2012, will lead out 55 British athletes at the Macarana Stadium in two days’ time.
England, who headed the panel for the final selection, said a conversation with Murray convinced him the three-time grand slam victor was a worthy choice. London worked out unbelievably well for me, but Beijing was also important. “I’m not thinking about anything other than the first round right now”.
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“This year the schedule is tough with the US Open and Olympics so close and I needed to take a break after Wimbledon”, he admitted.
