Venezuelan president gives national flag to softball team

Venezuelan President Hugo Chaves on Monday gave the national flag to the women's softball team for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games to be opened on Aug. 8. 'You are already writing pages in the Venezuelan history. From my hands of soldier I give you this flag to the daughters of the homeland, to the daughters of the flag,' Chavez said when delivering the flag to team captain Maria Soto. The Venezuelan team was chosen through a poll called 'Flag bearer for the People' in which the civil population participated for the first time with almost 20 percent of the votes. It is also the first time an overall sports is given the flag to represent Venezuela in an Olympic event. 'We made history when becoming the first women's team to classify for the Olympic Games, so you have to believe in us and in every one of the athletes that will represent Venezuela with pride and gallantry,' Zuleima Cirimelle, receptor of the team, said.