ParalympicsGB today announced that London 2012 Ambassador Danny Crates will carry the flag for the Great Britain team at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games tomorrow, Saturday 6 September.
Danny Crates to carry Opening Ceremony flag for ParalympicsGB
5 Sep 2008
ParalympicsGB today announced that London 2012 Ambassador Danny Crates will carry the flag for the Great Britain team at the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games tomorrow, Saturday 6 September.
The Paralympic, World and European champion for T46 800m will be defending the title he won in Athens four years ago and is part of a 36-strong athletics team competing for GB in Beijing.
Danny will be competing in his third Paralympic Games. He was a talented rugby player before losing his arm in a road accident in Australia in 1994 and was then talent spotted for athletics.
Chosen by his teammates, he said it was ‘the greatest honour an athlete can have to be carrying the flag into the Bird’s Nest Stadium.’
He said:
bq. ‘For me, it is something special. My career has been full of many, many highs, and some lows, as in any athlete’s career, but this is pretty much the pinnacle. This is the one I had no control over. This is the one that has to be given to you for what you’ve achieved in the sport.’
The Paralympic Games take place from 6 September to 17 September. Great Britain will be represented in 18 of the 20 sports by 206 athletes. The British team finished second in Athens, but expect tough opposition at this Games, especially from the hosts China.
