Johnson to carry NZ flag at Paralympics

New Zealand's most successful Paralympic shooter, Michael Johnson, will carry the New Zealand flag at the opening ceremony for the Paralympic Games at London's Olympic Park on Thursday morning (NZT).

The announcement was made at the team's official welcome to London at New Zealand House, where both New Zealand's High Commissioner Derek Leask and local Maori welcomed the athletes.

Johnson of Waiuku, south Auckland, will compete in his third Paralympic Games and is on target to claim another medal. The 38-year-old won gold at his first Games at Athens in 2004 and bronze after an intense shootout in Beijing in 2008.

"This will without a doubt be a highlight of my career," said Johnson, who is a tetraplegic.