Beijing Olympics: Mark Foster will carry British flag at opening ceremony

Beijing Olympics: Mark Foster will carry British flag at opening ceremony

Mark Foster will become the first swimmer to carry Britain's flag since 1964 Photo: Reuters
Kate Howey in 2004: Mark Foster to carry British flag at Beijing Olympics' opening ceremony
Last time: Judoka Kate Howey in Athens, 2004 Photo: Getty Images

The 2008 Olympics are Foster's fifth and he will compete in the 50 metres freestyle.

He was chosen in a poll involving all the British teams at the Games ahead of the favourites, badminton player Gail Emms and cyclist Chris Hoy.

Despite winning 47 international medals in his career, which includes World, European and Commonwealth titles, Foster is yet to win an Olympic medal.

The 38-year-old retired from swimming in 2006 but made a shock comeback in a bid to attain a place on the Olympic podium.

Foster will be the first swimmer to carry the British flag at an Olympic opening since Anita Lonsbrough at the 1964 Tokyo Games. Lonsbrough, now Telegraph swimming correspondent, was given the honour after winning gold in the 200m breaststroke in Rome four years earlier.

In 2004 Kate Howey, an Olympic bronze and silver medalist in judo, was the flag-bearer while in 2000 it was Matthew Pinsent. Sir Steve Redgrave was picked in 1996 at Atlanta, where he went on to win his fourth Olympic gold medal in rowing.

Foster will be blogging for Telegraph.co.uk throughout the games and yesterday said he could not wait for them to begin .

He said: "For so long the Olympics seemed so far away! I know after making the games I was really looking forward to competing in the Olympics again, but with so much time in between then and being at the Olympic village, it always seemed an age away, especially with so much training to be done.

"After the Olympic trials we only had a few days off before going straight back into hard training, so it didn't really sink in. Now we are away as a unit and all resting, it feels like a reality. The energy in the team is amazing."