NBA Championship winner, Patty Mills is set to be the first indigenous Australian man to carry the Australian flag at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The 32-year-old San Antonio Spurs player will be the star of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic games, in addition to the two-time gold medallist in swimming, Cate Campbell when the two of them will be seen at the flag-bearers for the country.
‘I Can Feel It In My Bones’
Mills said that the privilege was “a pleasant moment on, I can feel it in my bones.”
“As a proud Kokatha, Naghiralgal and Dauareb-Meriam man it’s incredible,” Patty said.
Both the flag-bearers, Mills and the Campbell will be competing in the Olympic games for the fourth consecutive year.
With the announcement of Mills being one of the two flag-bearers at Tokyo 2020 accompanied by pictures of him wrapped in an Australian flag and posing in front of a Aboriginal flag and that of the Torres Strait.
History To Be Written
He is one of the largest sports stars in Australia and is also known as an outspoken advocate for social justice. He also donated generously a portion of his salary to the Black Lives Matter movement in the country.
In Tokyo, on July 23, when Mills will carry the flag of his country like a proud man, it will rekindle the memories of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.
This was the time when the legendary athlete, Cathy Freeman became the first indigenous Australian man to light the torch.
What Did He Say?
“My answer comes from how this particular person in past years, in this role, has impacted me. It’s leadership, representation and it’s insanely meaningful. It’s inspiring. It’s symbolic. It’s emblematic.
“My honest answer would be, what does it mean to everyone else? What does it mean to the team? What does it mean to everyone in Australia? The thousands of expats living around the world?
“Because those are the people I proudly represent and will carry the flag for. As the first Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander flag bearer my connection between our country – the land, the sky, the sea, our culture, our history and this particular moment runs extremely deep.”
