Hockey legend Eddie Ockenden will become the first Tasmanian-born athlete to fly the Australian flag at the Olympic Games.
The 37-year-old, who holds the record for most caps on the national team, will lead the team to the Paris Olympics alongside French-born paddler Jessica Fox.
Ockenden has represented Australia at the last four Olympic Games, winning silver in Tokyo and bronze medals in Beijing and London.
He is also the Kookaburras' all-time appearance record holder and the first athlete to compete in five Olympic Games, following in the footsteps of former coach Rick Charlesworth, who hoisted the flag in 1988.
“I watched the opening ceremonies at past Olympics and felt so proud to see our country's flag enter the stadium and lead the team forward,” he said.
“I'm so grateful for this honor and the opportunity to experience something with such deep history and deep meaning.”
“I feel like I can draw a lot of positive energy from this experience for the Kookaburras and I hope the whole Australian team can relate to this energy.”
“I'm incredibly proud to represent Australia, Tasmania and my sport.”
Friday's opening ceremony will be the biggest in Olympic history, with tens of thousands of spectators watching a four-mile boat parade route along the Seine.
The Hobart-born athlete has played 445 international matches, scoring 78 goals, and is one of six Australian athletes to compete at his fifth Olympic Games in Paris.
He joins this exclusive club along with basketball players Patty Mills, Lauren Jackson and Joe Ingles, show jumper Edwina Topps Alexander and diver Melissa Wu.
Australian Olympic Committee chairman Ian Chesterman called Mr Ockenden a “proud Tasmanian and a great ambassador for Australian sport”.
