Men’s hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and Olympic boxing medallist Lovlina Borgohain will be the flag-bearers of the Indian contingent during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou on Saturday, September 23.
The Indian Olympic Association took the decision on Wednesday to have joint flag-bearers for the continental showpiece.
A total of 655 Indian athletes are competing in the Asian Games this time, which is the largest contingent ever.
“We arrived at the decision after much deliberation today,” Indian contingent Chef de Mission Bhupender Singh Bajwa told PTI.
“This time we will have two flag-bearers leading the contingent at the Asian Games – hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh and boxer Lovlina Borgohain,” added Bajwa, who is also the chief of the Wushu Association of India.
Olympic and World javelin champion Neeraj Chopra had done the honours at the opening ceremony of the 2018 Jakarta Asian Games.
Borgohain had won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in the 69kg category. This year, she won gold in 75kg category at the World Women’s Boxing Championship in New Delhi.
Harmanpreet is one of the best drag-flickers in the world and was part of the team that won the historic bronze at the Tokyo Games, breaking the 41-year medal drought for the Indian men’s hockey team in the Olympics.
The Indian men’s hockey team would be aiming for a gold medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games to secure automatic qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
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