28/07/2012 Newsround

returns. As does Felix Sanchez, he of the flashing wristband, he

became their first Olympic champion In the summer that we bid farewell

to Lonesome George, the last giant tortoise of its kind in the

Galapagos Islands, so great was his loss that the President addressed

the nation. Here is hoping its 36 athletes can raise their spirits

The Egyptians are here. A nation of 82 million and after all the

turmoil of the past 18 months, they have a new President and they have

hoped for more stability. The flag- bearer won Egypt only medal at the

Beijing Olympics, a bronze in judo. Ramadan falls during the Games.

They have been told they don't have to fast and can make up fast days

later. Some will choose to and some will not. El Salvador, the most

densely populated state on the mainland of the Americas. Their

first Games was in Mexico City in Eritrea's on the Red Sea. First

competed in 2000. They won their Estonia has hosted part of an

Olympic Games with the sailing events in 1980 when Moscow was the

main venue. Tallinn was our Weymouth. Home of some of the best

names of all time in distance running. All 38 of Ethiopia's

medals have come in middle and long-distance running and expect

more this time. Maybe from Bekele, one of the most dangerous threats

to Mo Farah in the 10,000m. No one has won three 10,000m titles at the

Olympics. Bekele could. Fiji is my favourite. My favourite flag.

my favourite outfit! The best outfits so far. I wonder if Fiji's

greatest ever sportsman, Vijay Singh, will still be competitive

when golf makes its competitive debut in Rio in four years' time.

He is one of the fittest golfers on tour so you never know. Finland are

here. The flag-bearer is the former world champion at a 100m freestyle.

The first woman ever to carry the Finnish flag at the Summer Olympics.

Watch out for the javelin thrower. The flag-bearer is a 19-year-old, a

swimmer. He carries one of the most colourful and cheerful of all the

flags in my opinion. MUSIC: "Staying Alive". The Bee Gees thump

out, everybody is rocking in the stadium. We might have been in

Paris tonight. It came down to a choice between London and Paris to

host these Games. The rest is history, but we welcome this big

French team and that is a big man, Teddy Renate, five-time world

champion in judo. He is not cuddly! Maybe to some! Flag-bearer won two

golds in 1996, has five medals in all. David and Carol Hoy will be

even more proud than they have been of their son, Chris. Sir Chris Hoy!

He will carry the Union flag into the stadium in a few moments. What

am I saying? We are only at G! You're ahead of yourself. We have

had Gabbidon and The Gambia. One of the smallest countries in Africa. A

coastline of the Atlantic, first competed in 1984. The blue stripe

on their flag represents The Gambia river that flows through the

The flag-bearer is a 43-year-old pistol shooter appearing in her 7th

Olympic Games. Representing a 2 million Germans. The hockey player

is the flag bearer. Always strong in a team sport. The men are the

defending hockey champions. Three gold medals in the equestrian event.

Zara Phillips will be in the three- I like the displays of informality

among people who are normally very formal. Indeed. Nine athletes here

for Ghana. Some very interested onlookers. He and we have the Prime

Minister. They will have a wait before they can raise the roof for

the Great Britain team. youngest ever sprint world champion