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"To lead our country into this Olympics is something I
honestly never thought I would have the opportunity to do," the
31-year-old told reporters on Wednesday.
"Just the honour and opportunity to do that is incredible...
this has to be one of the coolest things I have ever done. To be
nominated by your peers is an awesome feeling."
Phelps, who will be the first American male swimmer to compete
at five Games, was chosen in a team vote to lead the delegation
into the Maracana stadium in what will be his first opening
ceremony.
The swimming great, who won an unprecedented eight golds at one
Games in Beijing in 2008, is set to add to his haul in Rio with
three individual events as well as relays.
He will not be in pool action until Sunday evening at the
earliest, but in the past has shunned such ceremonies with all
the standing around and staying up into the early hours.
With Rio potentially being his last Games, Phelps is determined
to do things differently and savour every moment even if coach
Bob Bowman had his concerns.
Phelps said he asked Bowman about how it might affect his
performance on a scale of 1-10, with eight signalling clear
approval. Bowman gave it a 7.8.
"I said its a no-brainer," said the swimmer, who will be only
the second to carry the U.S. flag at a Summer Games opening
ceremony. "I want to do it, I have to do it."
In 2000, Phelps had just wanted to make the team. Four years
later, he wanted to win gold. In Beijing he aimed "to do
something nobody else had done" and in London it was about
making history.
"And now, I want to walk in the opening ceremony, take it all
in, represent America in the best possible way and make my
family proud. This time around, it's about so much more than
medals," he said.
Phelps's team mates said there was nobody better to represent
the country, even if men's team co-captain Nathan Adrian
admitted to nerves when he put the case to the captains of other
sports.
"I was stressed out. I felt if he didn't get it, it would be on
my shoulders," he said.
(Editing by Ed Osmond)
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