Ugandan chosen to carry Norway flag
A Uganda-born weightlifter has been selected to carry the Norwegian flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on Friday.
OSLO
A Uganda-born weightlifter has been selected to carry the Norwegian flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on Friday.
“It is a great honour for me,†Ruth Kasirye said.
“I feel very Norwegian after 10 years in the country, and the last time I was in Uganda I almost felt like a tourist,†she told Norwegian media.
The 26-year-old started with athletics before switching to weightlifting, and is due to compete in the 63-kilo class at the Beijing Olympics.
Kasirye told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that she had to consider the offer for a day before accepting the assignment.
She will be the sole weightlifting representative for Norway at the Olympics.
In total, the country will send 85 athletes to Beijing to continue a rich Olympic tradition.
They will participate in athletics, swimming, cycling, fencing, women’s football, equestrian, handball, rowing, sailing, shooting, canoeing, volleyball, taekwondo, and wrestling.
Norway won five gold medals and a bronze at the Athens Olympics, their strongest sports being shooting and sailing.
A Uganda-born weightlifter has been selected to carry the Norwegian flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics on Friday.
“It is a great honour for me,†Ruth Kasirye said.
“I feel very Norwegian after 10 years in the country, and the last time I was in Uganda I almost felt like a tourist,†she told Norwegian media.
The 26-year-old started with athletics before switching to weightlifting, and is due to compete in the 63-kilo class at the Beijing Olympics.
Kasirye told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that she had to consider the offer for a day before accepting the assignment.
She will be the sole weightlifting representative for Norway at the Olympics.
In total, the country will send 85 athletes to Beijing to continue a rich Olympic tradition.
They will participate in athletics, swimming, cycling, fencing, women’s football, equestrian, handball, rowing, sailing, shooting, canoeing, volleyball, taekwondo, and wrestling.
Norway won five gold medals and a bronze at the Athens Olympics, their strongest sports being shooting and sailing.