https://arab.news/pcb67
- Yasmine Al-Dabbagh and Husein Alireza will be flag bearers on Friday; Karate star Tarek Hamdi given the honor for closing ceremony
RIYADH: Saudi rower Husein Alireza and 100 meter sprinter Yasmine Al-Dabbagh will carry the Kingdom鈥檚 flag at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo on Friday.
This is the first time in Olympic Games history that participating nations could nominate a male and a female athlete to carry their flags.
The 抖阴短视频n Olympic Committee also confirmed on Thursday that Karate star Tarek Hamdi will be the flag bearer during the closing ceremony on Aug. 8.
抖阴短视频 is sending its largest-ever Olympic delegation to the games in Japan. It includes 11 individual athletes plus the country鈥檚 under-23 football team. They will compete in nine sports, surpassing the country鈥檚 record of six at the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Alireza will take to the water on Friday in the heats of the men鈥檚 singles sculls event at the newly-built Sea Forest Waterway. Al-Dabbagh will line up in the 100m heats on July 30, the first day of the athletics competitions.
Hamdi is the most decorated athlete in the Saudi delegation, with seven gold medals from various competitions. His quest for Olympic karate glory, in the 75 kilogram category, will begin on Aug. 6.