Ellie Simmonds 'honoured' as she's chosen to carry GB flag at Paralympic opening ceremony
Golden girl Ellie Simmonds will fly the flag for her country after being selected as a flag bearer for the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Tokyo.
The 26-year-old from Aldridge will join archer John Stubbs in leading her team-mates into the Olympic Stadium in the Japanese capital today.
Ellie is competing in her fourth successive Games since debuting in Beijing in 2008 and is aiming to add to her tally of eight medals, including five golds.
She will be the first female flagbearer at a summer Paralympics since fellow swimmer Maggie McEleny in 2000 and spoke about the honour of being selected to be a flagbearer.
She said: "I’m hugely honoured to carry the flag for the ParalympicsGB team – on behalf of all the athletes, support staff and for the entire nation back home.
"Just to be here in Tokyo is amazing but to carry the flag is the icing on the cake and I can’t wait for the competition to start."
Ellie will start her Tokyo campaign on Thursday, August 26 in the heats of the Women's 200m medley SM6 as she looks to defend the title she won in 2012 in London and 2016 in Rio.
