List of flag bearers for nations in the Rio Olympics 2016 opening ceremony

Rio Olympics 2016, the most awaited sporting event in the world, will begin with an official opening ceremony at the Marcana Stadium on Friday. The world will watch top athletes go head-to-head in various sporting competitions for over two weeks. The quadrennial event starts on Aug. 5, and will end on Aug. 21.

But before these athletes give it their all in their respective sporting events, they will participate in what is expected to be an interesting Rio Olympics opening ceremony. Like in other Olympics, the ceremony is set to entertain the audience world over with some grand spectacles. 

Athletes from 207 countries will be present for a parade at the stadium, waving their hands to the spectators, who will be thrilled to see 11,000-odd sportspersons during the Games in Rio. The most visible of them will, of course, be the flag bearers in each contingent, who will lead the fellow participants from their country. All athletes dream of this occasion, which is considered a major highlight in their career.

Well-known sports personalities such as Abhinav Bindra (India), Michael Phelps (United States) and Andy Murray (Great Britain) are among those who will carry the national flag of their country in Rio.

Here is a list of confirmed flag bearers (so far) for the participating countries in Rio:

India - Abhinav Bindra

Greece - Sofia Bekatorou

Afghanistan - Kamia Yousufi

South Africa - Wayde van Niekerk

Andorra - Laura Salles

Australia - Anna Meares

Armenia - Vahan Mkhitaryan

Angola - Luísa Kiala

Argentina - Luis Scola

Austria - Liu Jia

Bangaldesh - Siddikiur Rahman

Belize - Brandon Jones

Bolivia -Angela Castro

Bulgaria - Ivet Lalova

Benin - Yemi Apithy

Belarus - Vasil Kiryienka

Cameroon - Wilfried Ntsengue

Cambodia - Sorn Seavmey

Croatia - Josip Pavić

Canada - Rosannagh MacLennan

Chile - Érika Olivera

Costa Rica - Nery Brenes

Cuba- Mijaín López

Denmark - Caroline Wozniacki

UAE - Nada Al-Bedwawi

Equador- Andres Chocho

Spain - Rafael Nadal

USA - Michael Phelps 

Russian Federation - Sergey Tetyukhin

Philippines - Ian Lariba

Finland - Tuuli Petaja-Siren

France - Teddy Rinner 

Great Britain - Andy Murray

Gambia - Gina Bass

Gautemala - Ana Sofía Gómez

Hungary - Ãron Szilagyi

Cook Islands - Ella Nicholas

British Virgin Islands - Ashley Kelly

Indonesia - Maria Natalia Londa

Israel - Neta Rivkin

Italy - Federica Pellegrini

Ireland - Paddy Barnes

Jamaica - Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

Japan - Keisuke Ushiro

Kosovo- Majlinda Kelmendi

Lebanon - Nacif Elias

Malaysia - Lee Chong Wei

Malta - Andrew Chetcuti

Mauritius - Kate Foo Kune

Mexico - Daniela Campuzano

Maldives - Aminath Shajan

Montennegro - Bojana Popović

Namibia - Jonas Junia

Nepal - Phupu Lhamu Khatri

Nigeria - John Obi Mikel

Panama - Alonso Edward

Poland - Karol Bielecki

Puerto Rico - Jaime Espinal

Portugal - Joao Rodrigues

Pakistan - Shah Hussain Shah

South Korea - Gu Bon-gil

Iran - Zahra Nemati

China - Lei Sheng

Romania - Cătălina Ponor

San Marino - Arianna Perilli

Sri Lanka - Anuradha Cooray

Serbia - Ivana Anđusic Maksimovic

Singapore - Derek Wong Zi Liang

Thailand - Ratchanok Intanon

Tonga - Pita Taufatofua

Tuvalu - Etimoni Timuani

Ukraine- Mykola Milchev

Uruguay - Dolores Moreira

Venezuela - Ruben Limardo

Zimbabwe - Kirsty Coventry

Brazil - Yane Marques