{"id":13694,"date":"2012-07-24T18:07:48","date_gmt":"2012-07-24T18:07:48","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2012-07-24T18:07:48","modified_gmt":"2012-07-24T18:07:48","slug":"Flag-bearing-is-tall-order-for-China-s-Yi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=13694","title":{"rendered":"Flag-bearing is tall order for China’s Yi"},"content":{"rendered":"

China today picked NBA basketball player Yi Jianlian to carry their flag at the London Olympics opening ceremony, apparently swayed by his towering height.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Deputy chef de mission Xiao Tian repeatedly praised the 2.13-meter Dallas Mavericks power forward for being tall<\/strong>, and stressed impressive physical stature was a necessary requirement for China’s flag-carrier.<\/p>\n

Four years ago, fellow basketball giant Yao Ming carried China’s flag at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yi is entering his third Olympics after forgettable campaigns in 2004 and 2008<\/strong>, when China finished eighth on each occasion.<\/p>\n

The 24-year-old, who lacks the huge appeal of now-retired Yao, has represented four teams in five NBA seasons, without winning the championship.<\/strong> He didn’t start any games in 30 appearances for the Mavericks this year.<\/p>\n

China has several other contenders for the flag-carrying honor, including former Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang<\/strong>, tennis star Li Na and badminton world number one Lin Dan.<\/p>\n

And Xiao admitted ball sports – including basketball – were a weakness for the Chinese team<\/strong>, which topped the medals table with 51 golds four years ago in Beijing.<\/p>\n

Asked whether China would ever pick a woman to carry the flag, Xiao said: “It’s possible. As I just said, the flag-bearer has to be someone with a good image and has to be very tall.”<\/p>\n

Fellow delegate Cai Jiadong said China, who arrived at the athletes village on Wednesday, would have a “strong presence” at Friday’s ceremony. Some 396 athletes, including 29 gold-medallists, are competing in the Games.<\/p>\n

“We feel excited and energetic and we can walk behind a very tall basketball player,” said Xiao. “He’s more than two metres, so everyone can be happy.”<\/p>\n

Source AP<\/em>
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