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Tokyo 2020 Olympics: NBA’s Rui Hachimura and wrestling world champ Yui Susaki to carry Japan flag
- Mixed-race Washington Wizards player Hachimura hopes selection will help kids ‘take even more interest in sport’
- Two-time world champion Susaki shares responsibility at Games’ opening ceremony, with spectators still in doubt
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NBA star Rui Hachimura will carry Japan’s flag at the Tokyo Games, Japanese Olympic chiefs said – although fans might not be allowed into the stadium to watch the opening ceremony.
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The Washington Wizards forward will carry the flag along with 22-year-old two-time world champion wrestler Yui Susaki at the July 23 opener for the pandemic-postponed Games.
But with concern growing again over rising coronavirus cases, organisers have said they may need to rethink attendance limits for Olympic events to reduce infection risks.
On Monday, Games chiefs said they would push back the announcement of results of a ticket lottery for oversubscribed events to Saturday – less than two weeks before the opening ceremony.
The 23-year-old Hachimura, whose father is Beninese and mother is Japanese, said carrying his nation’s flag was “a great honour”.
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“I’d love this to be an opportunity for kids and everyone else in Japan to watch me and my teammates playing at the Olympics, and take even more of an interest in basketball and sport as a whole,” he said.
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