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Flag bearers for the London Olympics

  • Two-time Olympic gold medal-winning fencer Mariel Zagunis will get the honor of carrying the United States flag during Friday's Olympic Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images for USOC)
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    Two-time Olympic gold medal-winning fencer Mariel Zagunis will get the honor of carrying the United States flag during Friday's Olympic Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images for USOC)
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  • British cyclist Chris Hoy won three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will carry the host nation's "Union Jack" flag at the Olympic Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)
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    Chris Hoy Of Great Britain Celebrates Getty Images

    British cyclist Chris Hoy won three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will carry the host nation's "Union Jack" flag at the Olympic Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)
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  • Former Wimbledon Champion Maria Sharapova has a distinct honor in London. She is the first female to carry the flag for Russia or the former Soviet Union.
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    Former Wimbledon Champion Maria Sharapova has a distinct honor in London. She is the first female to carry the flag for Russia or the former Soviet Union.
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  • Argentina's women's field hockey team captain Luciana Aymar will carry the flag for her country. Her team won the Bronze medal in Beijing and will be looking to get higher up on the podium at the London games.
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    Luciana Aymar

    Argentina's women's field hockey team captain Luciana Aymar will carry the flag for her country. Her team won the Bronze medal in Beijing and will be looking to get higher up on the podium at the London games.
  • World champion 800m runner Caster Semenya will carry South Africa's flag into the London 2012 Olympic stadium. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
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    World champion 800m runner Caster Semenya will carry South Africa's flag into the London 2012 Olympic stadium. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
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  • Former world No. 1 and 2011 Wimbledon Champion, Novak Djokovic, will carry the flag for Serbia. He recently lost in the Wimbledon semifinals to new world No. 1 Roger Federer.
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    Former world No. 1 and 2011 Wimbledon Champion, Novak Djokovic, will carry the flag for Serbia. He recently lost in the Wimbledon semifinals to new world No. 1 Roger Federer.
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  • Japan's Saori Yoshida won the gold medal in the Women's Freestyle 55 kg in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. One of the best female wrestlers ever, she carries a 119-match win streak into the Olympics.
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    Japan's Saori Yoshida won the gold medal in the Women's Freestyle 55 kg in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. One of the best female wrestlers ever, she carries a 119-match win streak into the Olympics.
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  • Brazil's 39-year-old Rodrigo Pessoa has competed in the Olympics for 20 years in equestrian and is seeking his fourth gold medal.
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    Brazil's 39-year-old Rodrigo Pessoa has competed in the Olympics for 20 years in equestrian and is seeking his fourth gold medal.
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  • Women's world boxing champion Katie Taylor of Ireland will highlight the Olympic debut of women's boxing as she carries the Irish flag into the stadium on Friday. (Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images)
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    Gold Medalist Katie Taylor Of Ireland Poses AFP/Getty Images

    Women's world boxing champion Katie Taylor of Ireland will highlight the Olympic debut of women's boxing as she carries the Irish flag into the stadium on Friday. (Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images)
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  • In Australia, they do things a little different.They don't announce their flag bearer until the night before the Olympics, which becomes <a href="http://bit.ly/NeK0lj" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:gambling fodder for Aussies;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">gambling fodder for Aussies</a>. Australian rower and three-time Olympic gold medalist James Tomkins was the winner in 2008.
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    Olympics - Opening Ceremony

    In Australia, they do things a little different.They don't announce their flag bearer until the night before the Olympics, which becomes gambling fodder for Aussies. Australian rower and three-time Olympic gold medalist James Tomkins was the winner in 2008.
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  • France chose épée fencer and five-time Olympic medalist Laura Flessel-Colovic to carry the flag in London. We wonder if <a href=" http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/tony-parker-now-says-almost-lost-eye-drake-205635106--oly.html " data-ylk="slk:Tony Parker's fight in a New York bar had anything to do with the decision.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link"> Tony Parker's fight in a New York bar had anything to do with the decision. </a>
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    Ciutat de Barcelona - Fencing

    France chose épée fencer and five-time Olympic medalist Laura Flessel-Colovic to carry the flag in London. We wonder if Tony Parker's fight in a New York bar had anything to do with the decision.
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Two-time Olympic gold medal-winning fencer Mariel Zagunis will get the honor of carrying the United States flag during Friday's Olympic Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images for USOC)
British cyclist Chris Hoy won three gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will carry the host nation's "Union Jack" flag at the Olympic Opening Ceremony. (Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)
Former Wimbledon Champion Maria Sharapova has a distinct honor in London. She is the first female to carry the flag for Russia or the former Soviet Union.
Argentina's women's field hockey team captain Luciana Aymar will carry the flag for her country. Her team won the Bronze medal in Beijing and will be looking to get higher up on the podium at the London games.
World champion 800m runner Caster Semenya will carry South Africa's flag into the London 2012 Olympic stadium. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Former world No. 1 and 2011 Wimbledon Champion, Novak Djokovic, will carry the flag for Serbia. He recently lost in the Wimbledon semifinals to new world No. 1 Roger Federer.
Japan's Saori Yoshida won the gold medal in the Women's Freestyle 55 kg in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. One of the best female wrestlers ever, she carries a 119-match win streak into the Olympics.
Brazil's 39-year-old Rodrigo Pessoa has competed in the Olympics for 20 years in equestrian and is seeking his fourth gold medal.
Women's world boxing champion Katie Taylor of Ireland will highlight the Olympic debut of women's boxing as she carries the Irish flag into the stadium on Friday. (Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images)
In Australia, they do things a little different.They don't announce their flag bearer until the night before the Olympics, which becomes <a href="http://bit.ly/NeK0lj" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:gambling fodder for Aussies;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">gambling fodder for Aussies</a>. Australian rower and three-time Olympic gold medalist James Tomkins was the winner in 2008.
France chose épée fencer and five-time Olympic medalist Laura Flessel-Colovic to carry the flag in London. We wonder if <a href=" http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/tony-parker-now-says-almost-lost-eye-drake-205635106--oly.html " data-ylk="slk:Tony Parker's fight in a New York bar had anything to do with the decision.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;" class="link yahoo-link"> Tony Parker's fight in a New York bar had anything to do with the decision. </a>

Each country has a process of choosing flag bearers for the Olympic opening ceremony's 'Parade of Nations'. Here are some of the athletes who will be leading their team into the London 2012 Olympic stadium with patriotic pride. -- By Tiara Chiaramonte