Chilean flagbearer Erika Olivera (centre) met with the President of Chile ©COC

Forty-year-old marathon runner Erika Olivera has attended a ceremony with the Chilean President Michelle Bachelet following her selection as the South American nation's flagbearer at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Olivera was joined by Chilean Olympic Committee President Neven Ilic for the event at the Palacio de la Moneda in Santiago.

She was selected as flagbearer after garnering the highest number of votes in a ballot conducted on the website of national daily newspaper La Tercera and social networks.

It will mark her fifth Olympic Games.

Veteran marathon runner Erika Olivera, pictured celebrating gold at the 1999 Pan American Games, will carry the Chilean flag at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images
Veteran marathon runner Erika Olivera, pictured celebrating gold at the 1999 Pan American Games, will carry the Chilean flag at Rio 2016 ©Getty Images

The 40-year-old first made her international breakthrough over two decades ago in 1994 when winning 10,000 and 3000 metres titles at the South American Junior Championships.

She saved her best form for the road, however, taking marathon gold at the Winnipeg 1999 Pan American Games before claiming bronze four years later.

Her best Olympic finish was 27th at Sydney 2000.

She also showed enduring quality by winning the 2014 South American Marathon Championships on home roads in Santiago.

Chile will be hoping to win their first Olympic medal since tennis player Fernando Gonzalez won men's singles bronze at Beijing 2008.

They will be hoping to emulate the success shown by their football team when they won the Copa América Centenario on penalties over Argentina last week.