Micah Franklin, the Island’s No 1 squash player, has been named as the flag bearer who will lead Bermuda into the opening ceremony of the XX Commonwealth Games today.

The 21-year-old, who is making his Games debut, will carry his country’s flag at the competition’s curtain raiser in front of 40,000 spectators at Celtic Park and more than one billion television viewers worldwide.

Stan Douglas, the Bermuda chef de mission, said that Franklin’s eyes lit up when he was informed that the flag-bearer honour had been bestowed upon him.

“We gave Micah a brief interview before telling him that he had been chosen to carry Bermuda’s flag at the opening ceremony,” Douglas said.

“His eyes lit up, as he considers the role as a real honour. He is considered Bermuda’s top squash player and I know he will stand tall and be a good ambassador for his country.”

It will be a depleted Bermuda team that performs in the opening ceremony because the athletics contingent has not yet arrived in Glasgow, while triathletes Flora Duffy, Tyler Butterfield and Jonathan Herring, along with rhythmic gymnast Gemma Lightbourne, have decided against performing because they are in competition the next day.

Triathlete Tucker Murphy, however, will be marching with Franklin as well as swimmers Roy-Allan Burch and Julian Fletcher, and squash players Robbie Maycock and Nick Kyme.

Murphy performed the role of flag bearer at this year’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, as the Island’s only competitor at those Games.

Douglas said that the Bermuda Olympic Association fully understood and respected the decisions of those athletes who had decided against taking part in the parade.

“The opening ceremony lasts for about three hours and some of the athletes decided against marching and instead prepare for their events the next day,” he said.

“Tucker Murphy is also in competition on Thursday, but said that he felt it was important to be seen taking part in the march.

“Micah and the squash players are also in action on Thursday but feel more confident about taking part in the parade. They feel prepared as they have known their draw [for the men’s singles round of 64] for quite a while.”

Swimmer Kiera Aitken, the two-times Olympian, carried Bermuda’s flag at the previous Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India, four years ago.

Today’s opening ceremony, featuring performances from famous Scottish singers Rod Stewart and Susan Boyle, starts at 4pm Bermuda time.

It will be attended by the Queen and numerous Commonwealth heads of state.