Those chosen will be taking part in 100 Team Welcome Ceremonies and 805 Victory Ceremonies during London 2012.

The lucky 176 were selected by the Ministry of Defence through a nomination process which sought to highlight those who have significant sporting or operational achievements.

Teams of six flag bearers and one flag manager will be posted to the Olympic venues this summer, with eight Royal Navy teams, nine Army teams and eight RAF teams in total to be in place after each medal event finishes.

London 2012 chairman Sebastian Coe said that it was an honour to have service personnel involved in the Games.

"The flag raising duties at the Olympic and Paralympic Games are seen as an honour but we are in fact honoured to have these inspirational men and women as part of London 2012," he said.

Hugh Robertson, the Minister for Sport and the Olympics, added: "Our armed forces are world renowned for their ceremonial excellence...as a former serviceman myself I am delighted that they will perform such an important role at the Games."

Among those chosen is 32-year-old navy Lieutenant Harnish Patel, who was shot through the leg during the Mumbai massacre in 2008 where terrorists armed with guns killed 164 people.


Another serviceman, Squadron Leader Lee Cobley has a link with the Olympics as his father, Donald, represented Britain at the Games at modern pentathlon in Melbourne in 1956 and again at Rome 1960.

Also selected was Navy Lieutenant Alex Davies (pictured second left), whose father Christopher won an Olympic sailing gold medal at Munich in 1972.

"I have my Dad's stories from what it's like standing up there at that moment so the pressure is on not to get it wrong," he told insidethegames.

"I know what will be going through the athlete's mind in a way and it's a great honour."

Service personnel will be based around a few venues each, with the exception of Weymouth and Portland, the location for the sailing, where the same personnel will be based during the Games.

"I'd love to go [to Weymouth and Portland]," said Lt Davies.

"It's entirely down to the selection committee – we don't know where we're being sent.

"Hoisting flags is a great tradition and we've done it forever [in the Navy] but to do it somewhere like this and to factor in the Olympics and the passion and dedication of the athletes...the pressure is on to give them a Ceremony fitting of their performance."

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