Former Olympic speed skater Seiko Hashimoto will make history as the first female Chef de Mission at the Summer Olympics, when she leads Japan's delegation to next year's Rio de Janeiro Games.

The Japanese Olympic Committee on Tuesday named the seven-time Olympian to reprise the role she carried out at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Games. The 51-year-old Hashimoto, who won a bronze medal at the 1992 Albertville Winter Games, will be assisted by 1994 judo gold medalist Yasuhiro Yamashita and Yuji Takada, who won wrestling gold at the 1976 Montreal Games.