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A16 SPORTS
Tuesday 23 July 2024
LeBron James selected as Team USA male flagbearer for Paris

Olympics opening ceremony

By TIM REYNOLDS the Paris Games, about 53%
AP Basketball Writer of them female.
LeBron James wasn’t totally “Being selected by your
sure what the opening cer- teammates to carry the flag
emony was all about when is a tremendous honor and a
he was picked for his first testament to LeBron’s passion
Olympics in 2004. for Team USA and his dedica-
This time, he’ll be one of the tion to his sport,” U.S. Olympic
stars of the show. and Paralympic Committee
James has been picked by CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
his fellow U.S. Olympians to James a global icon, a four-
serve as the male flagbearer time NBA champion and the
for the Americans in Friday league’s all-time leading
night’s opening ceremony scorer set to go into his re-
for the Paris Games. He be- cord-tying 22nd NBA season
comes the third basketball is set to play in the Olympics
player and the first men’s for the fourth time, after he
player to carry the U.S. flag was part of U.S. teams that
at the start of an Olympics, won bronze in 2004, gold at
joining Dawn Staley for the Beijing in 2008 and gold again
Athens Games in 2004 and in London in 2012.
Sue Bird for the Tokyo Games United States’ forward LeBron James waves to the crowd after the end of an exhibition basketball He walked in the opening
that happened in 2021. game between the United States and South Sudan, at the o2 Arena in London, Saturday, July 20, ceremony at each of his
“It’s an incredible honor to 2024. three previous Olympics.
represent the United States on Associated Press This time, he’ll float.
this global stage, especially in important moment.” “We understand how much sion,” Curry added. “And the This will be an opening cer-
a moment that can bring the The 39-year-old James got of an honor it is to be in that work speaks for itself.” emony like none other in
whole world together,” James word of the honor Monday position and I think Bron’s en- The female U.S. flagbearer Olympic history: Thousands
said. “For a kid from Akron, in London, a few hours be- tire career, on and off the is expected to be revealed of athletes will be part of a
this responsibility means ev- fore the U.S. men’s team court, speaks for itself as him Tuesday. The International flotilla sailing along the River
erything to not only myself, was scheduled to play its fi- being worthy of that honor,” Olympic Committee de- Seine at sunset toward the
but to my family, all the kids nal pre-Olympics exhibition Curry said in the nomination cided in 2020 that national Eiffel Tower. It’s a 6-kilometer
in my hometown, my team- game against World Cup video. “He has represented delegations would have (3.7-mile) route, with about
mates, fellow Olympians and champion Germany. what it means to be excellent two flagbearers one male, 320,000 guests set to watch
so many people across the Fellow U.S. star and first-time both on and off the court in one female at the opening from the river bank and about
country with big aspirations. Olympian Stephen Curry, his commitment to service ceremony at an Olympics, 1 billion more, Olympic of-
Sports have the power to on behalf of the U.S. men’s and to uplifting the commu- a move to promote gender ficials estimate, watching
bring us all together, and team, nominated James for nity in all ways that he knows parity. The U.S. is expected on televisions around the
I’m proud to be a part of this the flagbearer role. how has been a lifelong pas- to have nearly 600 athletes in world.q

Tour winner Tadej Pogacar withdraws from Paris Olympics road

race due to fatigue

By DAVE SKRETTA Tadej Pogacar withdrew ing the first rider to win the national team colleague Pogacar was expected to
AP Sports Writer from the road race at the Tour and the Giro d’Italia in Domen Novak. We wish battle two-time winner Jo-
PARIS (AP) — Three-time Paris Olympics late Mon- the same season in nearly Domen all the best and nas Vingegaard all the way
Tour de France winner day, one day after becom- three decades. success.” to Nice, where the three-
The Slovenian Olympic Novak will be joined in the week Tour ended Sunday
Team announced Pogacar Slovenian lineup by Jan rather than with its custom-
had withdrawn from the Tratnik, Matej Mohoric and ary finish on the Champs-
Aug. 3 road race due to Luka Mezgec. Élysées because of the Paris
fatigue. “Once again,” the Slovenia Games. Instead, he pulled
His professional teammate, team said, “congratula- on the leader’s yellow jer-
Domen Novak, will replace tions to the Tour de France sey after winning Stage 4
him rather than Primoz Ro- winner for his third victory in to Valloire and never let his
glic, the defending Olym- the world’s most prestigious biggest rivals get anywhere
pic time trial gold med- cycling race, and we hope close to him the rest of the
alist, who was left off the he rests well and prepares way.
nation’s provisional lineup for his next races.” Pogacar capped his domi-
and is likely still recovering The 25-year-old Pogacar nance by winning the time
from the crash that took has already said he will not trial Sunday for his 17th
him out of the Tour. race in the Vuelta a Espana career stage win. He fin-
Tour de France winner Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar celebrates “Unfortunately, Tadej Po- in August, the third of the ished more than six min-
as he crosses the finish line to win the twenty-first stage of the gacar will not be among three Grand Tours. Instead, utes ahead of Vingegaard
Tour de France cycling race, an individual time trial over 33.7 (the riders in Paris),” the Slo- he is expected to recuper- overall and more than nine
kilometers (20.9 miles) with start in Monaco and finish in Nice, venian team said in a state- ate ahead of the world ahead of third-place Rem-
France, Sunday, July 21, 2024. ment. championships in Septem- co Evenepoel, one of the
Associated Press “He will be replaced by ber in Switzerland. Olympic favorites.q