OLYMPIC champion Hannah Mills from Dinas Powys, and Mohamed Sbihi were unveiled as Team GB’s first ever joint flag bearers for Friday’s opening ceremony of the Tokyo Games.

The duo will share the honour following a directive by the International Olympic Committee in March and were selected by a Team GB panel following nominations from their respective sports.

Mills won sailing gold in 2016 in the women’s 470 class alongside Saskia Clark, and will defend the title in Tokyo with a new team-mate, Eilidh McIntyre. 

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies MS has publicly congratulated Dinas Powys’ Team GB sailor Hannah Mills. 

He said: "I’m absolutely thrilled that Hannah, from Dinas Powys in my region, will be flying the Union flag for Wales at the opening of the Tokyo Olympics on Friday.

"Hannah will be putting Dinas Powys on the map as she becomes the first female sailor to carry the Union flag at an opening ceremony.

"I look forward to watching the ceremony and I’ll be cheering Hannah on to bring back another medal for Wales and Team GB."

Only around 30 of around 200 Team GB athletes are expected to march at the opening ceremony, with many reluctant to take part because of coronavirus concerns so close to their events.

Pickings were therefore slim for those responsible for selecting which man and woman would fly the flags for Britain, but it speaks volumes for the country’s past recent success that the panel was able to select two Olympic champions.