GER – Germany name Nowitzki flagbearer

BEIJING (Olympics) - Dirk Nowitzki will be the country’s flagbearer at the Beijing Games’ Opening Ceremony on Friday night.

Nowitzki realized a lifelong dream when he and his teammates claimed the last place on offer for the basketball event in China by beating Puerto Rico in the final game of the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament last month in Athens.

Now the experience will be even sweeter for the Dallas Mavericks superstar.

“On Friday, I will experience something astonishing,” he said in Beijing on Wednesday.

“I never thought I would be chosen to carry the flag but maybe it's happened because a lot of athletes identify with me."

Manu Ginobili of Argentina, Andrei Kirilenko of Russia and Sarunas Jasikevicius of Lithuania are also to serve as flagbearers at the Opening Ceremony while Yao Ming is a leading contender to do so for hosts China.

"Everyone wants to be a flagbearer; of course I want to be one, too!" Yao said.

The men’s basketball tournament tips off on Sunday with Russia taking on Iran, Germany facing Angola, Spain going up against Greece, Lithuania squaring off against Argentina, Australia meeting Croatia and China playing the United States.

FIBA