Women's volleyball star Zhu Ting and taekwondo athlete Zhao Shuai have been named as the Chinese delegation's flag-bearers at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games, the Chinese Olympic Committee (COC) announced late on July 17.

Postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics will open on July 23.

"Taking representation of the athletes and competition schedule into consideration, the delegation has confirmed its flag-bearers following widespread consultation and prudent consideration," read the statement posted on COC’s social media account.

Both athletes were crowned in the Rio Olympics five years ago, Zhu with the Chinese women's volleyball team and Zhao in the 58kg category of men's taekwondo.

Zhao Shuai, born in 1995, followed his coach Zhang to Jiangsu and joined the taekwondo team in Changzhou in 2006. He was recruited for the Jiangsu provincial team in 2009. In 2016, Zhao made history by winning China's first Olympic gold in men's taekwondo when he triumphed in the 58kg category at the Rio Olympics. He retained the men's 63kg title at the World Taekwondo Championships 2019 in Manchester, Britain.

Zhao will compete in the men's 68 kg taekwondo event at the Tokyo Olympics.