Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony: Why are there two flag bearers per country? Who are Hannah Mills and Mohamed Sbihi?
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Published 23/07/2021 at 09:26 GMT
The Tokyo Olympics opening ceremony gets underway on Friday, July 23 with thousands of athletes descending on the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo to take part in the parade. Each country has been actively encouraged to choose two flag bearers for the ceremony with Hannah Mills and Mohamed Sbihi representing Team GB.
Traditionally there has only been one flag bearer at an Olympic Games opening ceremony
Image credit: Getty Images
The Tokyo Olympics is finally here – a year later than planned due to the coronavirus pandemic – but the opening ceremony is upon us.
No Olympic Games is complete without a stunning opening ceremony in which the host country puts on a show for its global audience.
Opening ceremonies often include spectacular fireworks displays, dazzling lights and striking visuals, alongside music and dancing with the host showing off their culture and traditions.
One tradition of all opening ceremonies involves a procession of Olympic athletes doing a lap of the stadium with their countries.
Over 11,000 athletes are competing at Tokyo 2020 but there could be a limited number in attendance today due to coronavirus restrictions.
But eagle-eyed fans may notice a usual tradition has been scrapped this year when it comes to flag bearers.
Why does each country have two flag bearers at the Tokyo Olympics?
Traditionally, each country has selected one athlete to carry their nation’s flag during the lap of the stadium at the opening ceremony.
However, the Tokyo Olympic Games will be the first in history to have close to half a women's participation percentage with 48.8%.
As a result, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have, for the first time, actively encouraged nations to select a male and female representative to carry the flag.
IOC president Thomas Bach said: “The IOC EB also decided that there should be – for the first time ever – at least one female and one male athlete in every one of the 206 teams and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team participating at the Games of the Olympiad.
"Additionally, we have also changed the rules to allow National Olympic Committees to nominate a female and a male athlete to jointly bear their flag during the Opening Ceremony.
"We encourage all National Olympic Committees to make use of this option.
"With these two initiatives, the IOC is sending another extremely strong message to the world that gender balance is a reality at the Olympic Games."
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Hannah Mills is just the fourth woman to carry the flag for Team GB
Image credit: Getty Images
Who are Team GB’s flag bearers?
Rower Mohamed Sbihi and sailor Hannah Mills have been chosen to carry the flag for Team GB.
Mills won gold at Rio 2016 and silver at London 2012 and is just the fourth British woman to carry the flag at a summer Games.
She is aiming to defend her gold in the women’s double-handed dinghy with new team-mate Eilidh McIntyre.
Sbihi won gold in the coxless four in Rio and bronze in the men's eight in London and the 33-year-old will become the fourth rower to carry the flag at the opening ceremony.
He is also the first British Muslim athlete to perform the task.
Both athletes were selected by the British Olympic Association panel after each sport put forward athletes to a shortlist.
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