Bobsleigh competitor Timothy Beck will carry the Dutch flag at the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver on Friday night.

Beck, 33, has competed in two previous Olympics – in the 2002 winter games with the four-man bob and in 2004 as the first leg of the 4×100 relay team.
But all eyes will be on world and European speed skating champion Sven Kramer who kicks off the Dutch medal campaign on Saturday in the men’s 5,000m event at 2100 central European time.
Kramer took his fourth consecutive European title at the European allround championships in January and is the first person to win seven international titles in a row.
At the last Olympics he had to settle for silver in the 5000m.
Kramer told a US reporter that ‘hell yes’ he was afraid to lose. ‘Its getting serious… there is no way back now,’ he said.
Biggest team
The Netherlands has sent 36 athletes to the games, its biggest ever winter games team.
Speed skating dominates the Dutch efforts, with ten men and nine women hoping to pick up a medal. The Dutch squad also includes a five men and three women bobsleigh team, two snowboarders and seven short track skaters.
The short track team will also be in action on Saturday.

Entertainment
On Thursday (local time), Erica Terpstra, chairman of the Dutch main sports organisation NOCNSF opened the official Holland Heineken House, the Dutch style bar for athletes and supporters sponsored by the brewing group.
Marco Borsato, Gerard Joling and Jan Smit are among the Dutch artists who will perform at the temporary club during the games.
Dutch Rail has also donated 400 bikes to the Dutch team and their supporters.
To find out when the Dutch athletes are in action, click here (Dutch only)