PANAMA  -- The four times world champion of boxing, Roberto Duran, also called "Hand of Stone", will be the sports ambassador of Panama and will lead the Panamanian delegation to attend the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008, Ramon Cardoze said on Friday.

Cardoze, director of the Panamanian Sports Institute (Pandeportes) said: "It is a great honor for us that Duran be our sporting ambassador, role that he has performed with great dedication."

The famous boxer will attend the Olympiad together with Irvin Saladino, world champion of long jump and who is going to be the Panamanian flag bearer during the opening ceremony of the games next August 8, Cardoze said.

"Hand of Stone" became a boxing legend thanks to his dedication to the fists sports, where he has won four world titles in different categories, which is considered a feat.

Due to this, he was exalted to the Hall of Fame in this discipline in New York City in June 2007, six years after his retirement from the professional boxing.

The Panamanian delegation has a lot of chances of winning medals with Irving Saladino, world champion of long jump; with Jessica Jimenez, Pan-American champion of fencing; and Bayano Kamani in hurdling, who finished fifth in Athens 2004.

Saladino obtained the world title of long jump after achieving a mark of 8.57 meters in the Athletics World Championships in Osaka, Japan, in August 2007.