(see related) Swimming star Federica
Pellegrini said being Italy's standard bearer at the Rio
Olympics would be a good way to mark her glorious career.
"It's the crowning of years and years of career made up of
great defeats and really great victories," Pellegrini said on
her Instagram profile with a post of her with the Italian flag.
"Moments when I lost myself and moments when I found
myself and others... where I lost someone important".
The final remark may be a reference to Pellegrini's
longstanding coach and mentor Alberto Castagnetti, who died in
2009.
"It was a decision made by popular acclaim," said Giovanni
Malagò, the president of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
"I apologise if we waited until the last moment for the
decision, but I wanted to be infinitely certain that she was the
only one who could have the honour of being the standard
bearer".
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