Beijing star to carry flag

SPRINTER Francis Kompaon will be the flag bearer for Team PNG during the official opening of the London 2012 Paralympics tomorrow morning.
Named for the second time, Kompaon described his appointment as an “amazing feeling” when he was told he would lead the five-member contingent during the parade in London.
The East New Briton won Papua New Guinea’s only Paralympics medal when he took silver in the Paralympics men’s T46 100m final at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The other member of the two-athlete team is powerlifter Timothy Harabe. The remining members of the contingent are manager Rosemary Mawe, coaches Jeffrey Robby (powerlifting) and Bill McKenny (track).
The announcement was made along with that of  Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
At a special ceremony at Cardiff City Hall it was revealed that Iliesa Delana (Fiji), Kompaon (PNG), Milo Toleafoa (Samoa), Hellen Saohaga (Solomon Islands), Aloalo Liku (Tonga) and Marcel Houssimoli (Vanuatu) would lead their nations out during the opening ceremony.
Twenty-seven-year-old Fijian high jumper Iliesa Delana will compete in his first Paralympic Games in London and said “I’m very proud to be my country’s flag bearer. It’s an honour and will be very memorable.”
The Opening ceremony will be tomorrow (August 29).