Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez 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 August 8.

"You are already writting 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.

The flag bearer ceremony was performed with an emotive event which included the icons of the Venezuelan and Chinese culture.

The women's softball team classified for the Olympics beating Puerto Rico 9-0 and 4-0 in the pre-Olympic tournament which took place in Venezuela in August 2007.

Venezuela will send 109 athletes, 52 women and 57 men, to Beijing, which doubles that in Athens 2004, for 20 sports and 25 events.

Cyclist Julio Cesar Leon, first Venezuelan athlete in the Olympiads, as well as boxer Francisco "Morochito" Rodriguez, gold medal in flyweight in Mexico 1968 were at the official ceremony.

Ambassador of China to Venezuela Zhang Tuo, Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Rodriguez Chacin, Minister of Sports Victoria Mata, President of the Venezuelan Olympic Committe (COV) and the President of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice Estela Morales were also present at the ceremony.

(Xinhua News Agency July 29, 2008)