Katie Taylor to fly the Irish flag at the Olympics

Four-time AIBA World Women's lightweight champion Katie Taylor has been selected to be Ireland's flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The Olympic Council of Ireland confirmed this afternoon that the two-time AIBA World female boxer of the year will carry the Irish tricolour in front of Team Ireland on Friday night next.

Taylor,26, is the third Irish boxer to be chosen as a flag bearer for Team Ireland at the Olympics.

Wayne McCullough, who won silver at the 1992 Barcelona Games, carried the Irish flag at the 1988 Games in Seoul and Francis Barrett was the Irish tricolour bearer at the 1996 Olympiad in Atlanta.

Tommy Murphy, the President of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, said that it was another proud moment for Ireland's most successful Olympic sport.

"It's a great honour for Irish amateur boxing and we are absolutely delighted that Katie has been chosen to be the flag bearer for Ireland for the opening ceremony for the London Olympics, he said.

"She is the first female boxer to represent this country at the Olympic Games and it is a good choice. Katie is a fantastic ambassador for our sport and her record in international competition speaks for itself."

Women's boxing will make its historic Olympic debut in London in three weight-categories - flyweight, lightweight and middleweight.

Irish 2012 Olympic squad

49Kg (Light-flyweight) Paddy Barnes (Holy Family BC, Belfast)

52kg (Flyweight) Michael Conlan (St John Bosco BC, Belfast)

56kg (Bantamweight) John Joe Nevin (Cavan BC)

60kg (Lghtweight) Katie Taylor (Bray BC, Wicklow)

69kg (Welterweight) Adam Nolan (Bray BC, Wicklow)

75kg (Middleweight) Darren O'Neill (Paulstown BC, Kilkenny)

Team Manager: Des Donnelly

Coaches: Billy Walsh, Zuar Antia, Pete Taylor

Physio: Conor McCarthy

Strength & Conditioning: John Cleary