CYCLING legend Sir Chris Hoy has passed on his top tips to Andy Murray on how to carry the British flag at the Olympic opening ceremony.
Murray – who won gold and silver medals at the London games – has been chosen to lead
Britain’s team on their parade around Rio’s Maracena Stadium tomorrow (FRI).
Now cycling champion Chris Hoy – who carried the flag at the 2012 Olympics in London – has passed on some handy tips on the task.
Hoy told Murray to be sure to use only one arm to hold the flag – and to forgo the holster which is provided to the athletes to help them steady the huge standard.
After the announcement yesterday that Murray was to carry the flag, six-time Olympic champion Hoy tweeted: “Many congratulations Andy Murray on being chosen as the team GB flag bearer, don’t forget it has to be single arm and no holster!”
Hoy’s tips seem to imply that Murray should fly the flag single-handed in a bid to show off his impressive upper body strength – just as Hoy did in London.
Murray was chosen ahead of fellow team members Sir Bradley Wiggins and Nicola Adams to
become the second Scot in a row to carry the flag at the summer games.
Prior to Hoy, there had never been a Scottish flag carrier at a summer Olympic Games.
Scottish social media users were quick to celebrate the fact that another of their countrymen had been chosen to lead Britain at the games.
One tweeter wrote: “So pleased to see a Scot as Team GB flag bearer! Well done Andy.”
Another tweeted: “Andy Murray….. Great Scot to be flag bearer for Great Britain. Great!”
Others were quick to give their own advice to Murray on how he should carry the flag.
One tweeter wrote: “I suggest he uses his left hand… rest the right one for tennis.”
Murray – who won the gold medal in the men’s singles event at London 2012 – will start the campaign to defend his title this weekend.
The final of the event shall be held next Sunday.
Murray is one 50 Scots competing at this year’s Olympics, the highest number at any games outside of the United Kingdom.
Mike Whittingham, director of high performance at Sport Scotland believes that around 10 of these Scots are in “serious medal contention.”
