Carter more nervous about flagbearing than race

Hamish Carter after being named as flagbearer. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Olympic triathlon champion Hamish Carter expressed his excitement, and nerves, after being named last night as New Zealand's flagbearer for tonight's Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

"I think I'm more nervous now than I will be when I race on Saturday," said Carter. "At least then I know what I will be in for. This is the highlight of my career. But now, we are all here to do a job."

He will follow a long line of New Zealand's best sportsmen and women when he leads the team into the Melbourne Cricket Ground for tonight's Commonwealth Games opening ceremony.

The announcement by team chef de mission Dave Currie at a team dinner at the Moonee Valley Racecourse last night followed speculation that Carter would be named team captain and flag-bearer.

Carter, who arrived in Melbourne just hours before joining the team, said he had been approached by Currie at a function a long time ago and asked whether he would be marching at the Games' opening.

"At that time he asked me whether I would like to be the flagbearer," said Carter. "I was honoured but it has been difficult, as he asked me not to tell anybody.

"Anyone in that room could have been the flagbearer. It is just a massive honour.

"Those who have gone before me are legends," said Carter who follows Sarah Ulmer (2002), Graeme Miller (1998), Brian Fowler (1994) and Anthony Mosse (1990) in leading the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team at an opening ceremony.

Carter has the honour of leading New Zealand's biggest Commonwealth or Olympic Games team.

In his message to his teammates, Carter said: "Never give up, fight to the death."

In a special touch, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa made an unexpected appearance at last night's function, telling the athletes: "It is now your duty to do the best you can."