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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Michael Phelps has a lot of memorable moments at the Olympics.This one ranks right up there.Adding another honor to his remarkable career, Phelps was chosen to carry the U.S. flag in Friday nights opening ceremony at Maracana Stadium.The pick seemed obvious -- Phelps, after all, is the most decorated athlete in Olympic history and will be competing in his fifth Summer Games -- but he was clearly overwhelmed Wednesday after being selected in a vote of American athletes representing each sport.To lead our country into this Olympics is something, honestly, that I never thought Id have the opportunity to do, Phelps said.In fact, this will be the first time hes participated in the opening ceremony, which can be a grueling experience requiring athletes to spend hours on their feet.As a 15-year-old, his handlers thought it best that he not take part even though he qualified in only one event at the 2000 Sydney Games. At the last three Olympics, Phelps skipped the ceremony to rest up for his first event, the 400-meter individual medley, which was held the next day.With the 400 IM no longer part of his program, he was available to lead the American team into one of the worlds most iconic stadiums.Phelps got word of his selection Tuesday night.I think I had the biggest smile on my face that you could possibly find, he said. A little bit of emotion came over me. I probably shed a little bit of tears, just of joy.Phelps will be only the second swimmer to lead the U.S. delegation in the opening ceremony. Gary Hall carried the flag at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.Phelps has captured 18 golds and 22 medals overall, far more than any other Olympic athlete, and hell be the first U.S. male swimmer to compete in five Summer Games.While Phelps did have some concerns about the physical toll of marching in the opening ceremony rather than spending a relaxing night in front of the television, he couldnt pass up the chance to carry the flag.Its a no-brainer, he said. I have to do it. I want to do it.Phelps will certainly be hard to miss at the Maracana. Ralph Lauren has come up with an ensemble for the U.S. team that provides the flag bearer with an extra touch of flash -- a jacket in which the letters USA light up across the back.I kind of want to steal that jacket, said Ryan Lochte, who is Phelps roommate in the Olympic village.While more than half his life has been spent as an Olympian, the 31-year-old Phelps said he can still remember watching coverage of the opening ceremony as a child. Those images of smiling athletes from around the world entering the Olympic stadium always stuck with him.As a kid, youre like, `Yeah, it would be pretty sweet to be able to carry the flag, Phelps said, beaming.In a way, this is a perfect capper to Phelps career, no matter how many medals he adds to his already staggering total in Rio. He has become a true leader of the U.S. swimming team, mentoring younger athletes and eagerly embracing the chance to be a role model.For the first time, Phelps is serving as a team captain at the Olympics.Now, hes received an even bigger accolade.It feels so right, said 21-year-old teammate Missy Franklin, one of many swimmers inspired by Phelps during their early years at the pool.The 31-year-old Phelps, who retired from swimming after the London Games but quickly reversed that decision, will compete in three individual events at Rio and could be a member of all three relay teams. But he has continually stressed that his desire to compete in another Olympics had little to do with collecting more gold.Phelps skimped on his training before London and, frankly, didnt really want to be there. After taking a yearlong break, he rediscovered his love of training and competing, sparking a desire to close his career the right way.Then theres his personal life, which has endured a series of missteps including a second drunken-driving arrest in 2014. Since then, Phelps went through six weeks of inpatient therapy, gave up alcohol, reconnected with his estranged father, got engaged and became a father for the first time with the birth of his son, Boomer.Ive been able to experience things that I probably didnt really notice or I took for granted in the past, Phelps said. This has been the greatest two years of my life for a lot of reasons.And, after insisting all along this truly would be his final Olympics, Phelps dropped a tantalizing hint that he might not be done.Talking about how much he looks forward to having his infant son along for the ride in Rio, Phelps called it my potential last Olympics.Just so you guys dont beat me to death if I come back, he told a packed interview room at the Main Press Center. Im not. But Im going to say that.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry . Jaromir Jagr Capitals Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Dale Hunter Jersey . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. http://www.capitalsteamstoreonline.com/authentic-mike-gartner-capitals-jersey/ . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year. Jaromir Jagr Jersey . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Jonas Siegenthaler Jersey . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club.Former Quail Hollow winner Rickie Fowler moved himself in to a strong position at the Wells Fargo Championship, where defending champion Rory McIlroy stayed in contention despite a poor finish to his second round. Latest leaderboard Wells Fargo Championship Fowler fired a four-under 68 at Quail Hollow to get within three strokes of leader Andrew Loupe, while McIlroy heads in to the weekend six shots adrift after closing his three-under 69 with back-to-back bogeys.Playing in the same group as McIlroy alongside Hideki Matsuyama, Fowler made progress by reeling in a hat-trick of birdies from the sixth during a bogey-free front nine. Rickie Fowlers last win came in Abu Dhabi back in January Last years Players Championship winner then recovered from missing a six-foot par save at the 13th to post successive gains over the next two holes, parachuting him in to a bunched group tied for fifth. The number was definitely a good score out there today, Fowler told Sky Sports. I had a couple of little mistakes, but it was nice to see some birdies and I made a good par at the last.Having holed 15-footers to save par at the third and fourth, McIlroy picked up his first shot at the par-five fifth but posted a three-putt bogey from 30 feet at the next. Rory McIlroy played a four-hole stretch around the turn in five under The Northern Irishman lit up his round with a chip-in eagle from just off the far side of the seventh green, before leaving a kick-in gain at the next and birdieing the ninth to reach the turn in 32.ddddddddddddMcIlroy continued his run on the back nine with another close-range birdie at 10, but had to settle for par at the next after leaving his approach short of the green. The world No 3 then missed the 12th green and took two attempts from 15 feet for a second bogey of the day, but got back to five under for the round with a tap-in gain at 14.After leaving approaches short over the next two holes and dropping a shot at 17, McIlroy sent his second shot in to the hazard and needed a smart up-and-down to get away with just a bogey. Loupe had missed the cut in four of his past five PGA Tour starts At the top of the leaderboard, Loupes one-under 71 was enough to cling on to the outright advantage ahead of Roberto Castro, who closed a round-of-the-day 66 with back-to-back birdies.Chesson Hadley and Mark Hubbard sit tied-third on six under, while a final-hole bogey from Phil Mickelson leaves the 2013 Open champion alongside Fowler in the large group three off the pace. Watch the Wells Fargo Championship throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf Also See: Rory notices improvement Wells Fargo: R1 highlights McIlroys breakthrough win Golf live on Sky Sports 4 ' ' '