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DARFUR 'LOST BOY' TO CARRY U.S. FLAG TONIGHT: Lopez Lomong named flag bearer for opening ceremony at Beijing Olympics.
*One of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan who fled violence in the Darfur region was named Thursday as the United States flag bearer for the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics.
"This is the most exciting day ever in my life," said the track and field athlete, according to AFP. "It's a great honor for me that my teammates chose to vote for me. The opening ceremony is the best day and the best moment of Olympic life. I'm here as an ambassador of my country and I will do everything I can to represent my country well."
Lomong was chosen by a vote of U.S. captains in every Olympic sport. The choice is particularly sensitive given criticism of Chinese foreign policy over the conflict in Darfur.
The 23-year-old was kidnapped from his family by the Janjaweed militia and taken hostage. He and other youths escaped and spent three days on the run before crossing the border into Kenya and being taken to a refugee camp.
He spent years there just fighting to survive and famously paid five Kenyan shillings to watch a black and white television telecast of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He said seeing U.S. track star Michael Johnson win gold sparked his dream of becoming an Olympian.
Lomong was adopted by a US foster family, changed his citizenship to American and will race in the 1,500 meters at Beijing.
China, meanwhile, is one of the main buyers of Sudan's oil and a key investor in its economy. Rights groups have accused Beijing of not doing enough to try and resolve the conflict in Darfur.
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