Elgin Loren Elwais is a Palau

Palau

Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...

an wrestler. Elwais participated in his first Olympic Games

Olympic Games

The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...

 at the 2008 Summer Olympics

2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

 in Beijing, China. Elwais stands out from past Paluan Olympians by being the first sportsperson from his country to qualify for the Olympics based on his own merit.

Elwais was the official flag bearer

2008 Summer Olympics national flag bearers

During the Parade of Nations portion of the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, athletes from each country participating in the Olympics paraded in the arena, preceded by their flag...

 for the Palau Olympic delegation at the 2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony

2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

The 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time on August 8, 2008, as 8 is considered to be a lucky number. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture...

 in Beijing on August 8, 2008. He competed in the 55kg class

Wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's Greco-Roman 55 kg

Men's Greco-Roman 55 kg competition at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, was held on August 12 at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium....

 in Greco-Roman wrestling, losing his only match to Hamid Sourian

Hamid Sourian

Hamid Sourian Reihanpour is an Iranian wrestler, was part of national team from 2001 to 2011. He is a five-time world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling . Sourian amazingly won both the Junior World Championships and Senior World Championships in 2005...

 of Iran

Iran

Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...

.

Elwais currently lives in Susanville, California

Susanville, California

Susanville is the county seat of Lassen County, California, United States. Susanville is located on the Susan River in the south-central part of the county, at an elevation of 4186 feet . The population was 17,974 at the 2010 census, up from 13,541 at the 2000 census...

.