VALLETTA, Malta, Feb. 7 -- Thousands of Maltese people were so excited by watching live broadcasting of their nation's flag debuted in the Sochi Winter Olympic Games on Friday.

Carried by the flagbearer Elise Pellegrin, the Maltese flag, a vertical bicolor of white and red with a representation of George Cross, appeared at the parade of the 22nd Winter Olympic Games opening ceremony which kicked off in Sochi, the Black Sea coastal resort city in Russia.

Pellegrin, who lives in France and is eligible to represent Malta because her grandfather is Maltese, is the only Maltese athlete participant.

The 22-year-old young female athlete will take part in the Alpine Skiing.

Malta has already made fifteenth appearance at the Summer Olympic Games since its debut in 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, Netherlands. So far, the Europe Union's smallest country has yet to win its first ever Olympic medal.

Nearly 3,000 athletes from 87 countries and regions will compete for 98 gold medals in 15 disciplines across seven sports in Sochi Olympics.