Chinese basketball player Yao Ming will carry the host nation's flag at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games today, the country's deputy sports minister said yesterday.

"There were many athletes who met our criteria. After serious consultation we decided on Yao Ming," Cui Dalin said.

Yao, the towering Houston Rockets centre, is one of China's most popular athletes. He also carried his country's flag at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Games.

The 27-year-old helped to carry the Olympic torch on its journey through Beijing on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, judoka Marcon Bezzina will carry the Maltese flag at today's opening ceremony, starting at 2 p.m. (Malta time).

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