Bryshon Nellum Will Carry U.S. Flag In Closing Ceremony

Team USA chose track and field's Bryshon Nellum to represent the delegation as the flag bearer in the 2012 London Olympics Closing Ceremony. Nellum earned a silver medal at the games, running the first leg of the men's 4x400 meter relay. He also competed in the individual men's 400m, reaching the semifinals before bowing out with a third-place finish.

But Nellum's incredible backstory is certainly a reason why he was proudly picked to represent Team USA's 529-member delegation. As a freshman at USC, a car pulled up alongside Nellum while he was walking home from a party and shot him in the legs. Nellum was wounded in each thigh and his right hamstring, which required three surgeries to recover. The last operation was performed less than a year ago.

But Nellum persevered and worked his way back to become an elite Olympic-level athlete. He spoke about the honor of carrying the flag for the Closing Ceremony, via Los Angeles Times:

The Closing Ceremony will take place Sunday evening in London at Olympic Stadium.

For more on the Olympics, check out SB Nation's London 2012 Olympics Hub.