Anna Meares named Australia’s flag bearer and team captain for Rio Olympic Games

CYCLING legend Anna Meares was this morning announced as Australia’s Rio flag-bearer at an Olympics where the nation intends to fight back from the London 2012 disaster.

Anna Meares will be the Australian flag bearer for the Opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

AUSTRALIA’S Olympic chiefs could not have chosen a more perfect figurehead to lead the Rio resistance.

Cycling legend Anna Meares was this morning announced as Australia’s Rio flag-bearer at an Olympics where the nation intends to fight back from the London 2012 disaster.

Meares is cycling’s great survivor after nearly dying in a Los Angeles velodrome fall, then months later winning Beijing silver.

Australia’s Olympic team will next month attempt to rebound from a seven-gold medal Olympics in London that saw it plummet down the medal tally.

Meares was thrilled and proud to have been named the 2016 flagbearer

That campaign was blighted by a series of damning official reviews, accusations of bullying of female swimmers and a theme of selfishness and poor athletes village behaviour.

Meares was the clear choice from Australian chef de mission Kitty Chiller, who has made it her mission in the past year to foster a spirit of togetherness.

A very emotional @AnnaMeares in demand after being named Australia's @Rio2016 flagbearer! Congratulations!!! pic.twitter.com/y83tDFUUsw

— Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) July 5, 2016

Chiller described Meares as the epitome of what Australia’s team should represent — humility, respect and excellence.

“I did have an idea and even though I had some time to prepare it's a bit of a shock,’’ Meares said.

“I am incredibly proud and humbled, I would like to thank Kitty for this opportunity.

“To Australia, I am humbled and want you to know how proud I am.

“For me, a country girl, a coalminers daughter, to become the second cyclist in history to be the flag bearer makes me very emotional and proud.

“I dreamt of being an Olympian, of being an Olympic champion, but never contemplated being a flag bearer.

Anna Meares of Australia will carry the flag at the Rio Olympics.

“Of all the things I have done, carrying the flag for Australia is the greatest honour.”

The 32-year-old was chosen ahead of hockey star Jamie Dwyer, to represent Australia in his fourth Olympics in Rio, and race walker Jared Tallent.

Tallent was awarded a retrospective gold medal last month from the 2012 Olympics after the Russian who finished first was banned for drug cheating, lifting our London gold tally to eight.

Meares, a coalminers daughter from a small Queensland town, is an 11-time world champion and dual Olympic gold medallist.

She won her first Olympic gold in the 500m time trial in the Athens Olympics in 2004 then won the sprint in the 2012 after an epic rivalry with Britain’s Victoria Pendleton.

The veteran cyclist, likely in her last Olympics, has endured a turbulent past 12 months after the breakup over her marriage to husband Mark after 15 years together.

Australian athlete Anna Meares poses with her father Tony at the Stamford Plaza

Chiller chose the team a month out from the August 5 opening ceremony to avoid distractions after basketballer Lauren Jackson endured days of media attention before carrying the 2012 London flag.

Meares was the second cyclist to have the honour after Dunc Gray at Berlin in 1936, with Jackson (2012), rower James Tomkins (2008), sailer Colin Beashel (2004) and basketballer Andrew Gaze (2000) recent flag bearers.

Australia is expected to rebound in Rio with a star-studded swimming team and gold medal favourites in men’s hockey, rower Kim Brennan, race walker Tallent, kayaker Jessica Fox, BMX world champion Caroline Buchanan,

The Australian cycling team also have a stated goal of winning three gold medals in Rio after just Meares’ gold in London.

Originally published as Anna Meares named Australia’s flag bearer and team captain for Rio Olympic Games