World record setter refuses to carry Russian flag

Russian pole vault record holder Elena Isinbayeva will captain the country's athletics team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, but she has turned down a request to carry her country's national flag.

The 25-year-old athlete was asked to carry her country's national flag, but turned down the request citing performance reasons, adding that it was simply too heavy.

Isinbayeva, who has set world pole vault records 20 times during her celebrated career, was clearly a worthy candidate.

However, she won’t be carrying the Russian flag at the games, as the athletics section of the tournament starts a week after the opening ceremony on August 8.