ANDOVER judo star Kate Howey has been named as Great Britain's flag bearer for today's Olympic Games opening ceremony.

The 31-year-old, who won a silver medal at Sydney in 2000 and a bronze at Barcelona 1992, will be at the head of the British team as they enter the stadium.

In an odd co-incidence the last woman to carry the flag was also from the Andover area - three-day-eventer Lucinda Prior-Palmer who shared the job with middle distance runner Seb Coe at the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984. Britain will be the 110th team to enter the arena during this evening's ceremony.

For Kate the honour must be a sweet one after the disappointment of not being selected to represent England in the Commonwealth Games in 2002.

"I can't believe it.

"I'm still shaking," said the 31-year-old after the result of the ballot was announced. Kate added that she was more pleased for the sport than for herself as judo doesn't always get the recognition it deserves.

Each sport nominates a candidate for the flag bearing post and then the competitors from across all sports vote for their favourite candidate.

Kate was informed of her leading role at a reception in front of Princess Anne and cabinet minister Tessa Jowell. Prime Minister Tony Blair is expected to be one of 72,000 people in the stadium watching Kate as she strides into the limelight watched by billions of people from around the world.

The order in which teams enter the stadium is dependent on the Greek alphabet which means that Afghanistan could well enter the stadium after Zambia! The Irish team will enter the stadium before Great Britain and as tradition decrees the host team, Greece, will be the last to enter.