LONDON -- Olympic silver medalist Bryshon Nellum will carry the U.S. flag at Sunday's closing ceremony of the London Olympics.
Nellum was told by doctors that he might never be an elite athlete again after he was shot in the legs while leaving a restaurant near the campus of Southern California in 2008. Four years later, he's an Olympic medalist.
Nellum was part of the men's 4x400-meter relay team, which finished second to the Bahamas on Friday night. He also competed in the 400-meter dash in London, making the semifinal round.
Nellum says he's "humbled by this incredible privilege."
U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun says Nellum's courage "embodies the Olympic spirit."
Nellum was selected flagbearer by other members of the U.S. Olympic team in London.
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08/10/12 06:21 PM ET