"I am so happy for the selection," she told Kenya’s Nation Television. 

"I know we are going to do our best.

"I was not expecting it, if I look at my journey as a girl from a small village called Kaboiyo, I'm elated and even more motivated to ensure our national anthem is sung during the Olympics," Moim said.

She is only the second woman after archer Shazad Anwar in 2016 to carry Kenya’s flag.

In a social media message on Twitter, Amonde said: "It is a great honour to receive the flag on behalf of all the athletes who will represent Kenya."

President Uhuru Kenyatta presented the flag ten days ago in a special handover ceremony at the State House.

The President told the team: "Sports in our country have also attracted the best talents and brought together personalities and professionals from across the country and our values of hard work and service to the nation are deeply entrenched in our athletes."

Meanwhile 2013 world 800 metres gold medallist Eunice Sum has been appointed as team captain in what is expected to be her farewell Games.

Rio 2016 javelin silver medallist Julius Yego withdrew from the role, reportedly after a dispute with team management.

The Kenyan team of 89 is set to include 49 women, their largest female contingent at any Olympics.

It is the second time that women have outnumbered men.

At the last Tokyo Games in 1964, the team of 37 did not include a single woman but did feature the legendary Kip Keino at his first Olympics.

Then, the Kenyan flag was carried by sprinter Seraphino Antao, a double gold medallist at the 1962 Commonwealth Games.