NEW YORK (AP) — Speedskater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca have been chosen as the U.S. flagbearers for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.
Jackson, 33, is the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Games. Del Duca, a 34-year-old Army sergeant, is the first bobsledder in 70 years to carry the flag into an opening ceremony.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced the names on Tuesday. It’s the third Olympics for Jackson, the second for Del Duca.
“Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,” Jackson said. “It’s a moment that reflects far more than one individual — it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympics remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I’m proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage.”
Del Duca, with deep Italian roots, finds the opportunity especially meaningful as the games are in Italy. The opening ceremony will be unique, with events spread across several Italian cities.
U.S. bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor was picked to carry the American flag into the opening ceremony at the 2022 Beijing Olympics but tested positive for COVID-19 — forcing the postponement of her flag-carrying chance until the closing ceremony of those Winter Games. She was replaced at the Beijing opening by speedskater Brittany Bowe, and this time, it’s Jackson’s turn to have that moment.
