Just one day after Save Darfur named Lopez Lomong its August Darfur Hero and Olympic gold medalist Joey Cheek’s visa was revoked by China, U.S. Olympic team captains selected Lopez as the flag bearer for the Opening Ceremonies. Lomong – who spent 10 years in a refugee camp in Kenya after fleeing South Sudan – will compete in the 1500 meter run and gained U.S. citizenship just 13 months ago.
In a statement published in an LA Times column by Helene Elliott, Lomong said:
“The American flag means everything in my life — everything that describes me, coming from another country and going through all of the stages that I have to become a U.S. citizen. This is another amazing step for me in celebrating being an American. Seeing my fellow Americans coming behind me [in the opening ceremony] and supporting me will be a great honor — the highest honor. It’s just a happy day. I don’t even have the words to describe how happy I am.”
More coverage can be found on Bloomberg.com and the front page of the LA Times.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Save Darfur Coalition.
