Coco Gauff of the U.S. returns the ball during a practice session ahead of the tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, July 25, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
PARIS — Most countries will have two athletes hoisting a large flag in the boats along the Seine River for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony Friday.
It’s considered an honor to be chosen for the duty at the Games, and for years there was just one flag bearer per nation. In a tradition that began at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, delegations now select one woman and one man to share the job during the curtain-raiser — although sometimes, if there’s only one athlete present, that person will tote the flag alone.
That’s the case this time with six teams. Belize, for example, will have its flag carried by its lone competitor, 100-meter sprinter Shaun Gill.
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Who are the flag bearers for the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony?
Here is a look at the flag bearers for some of the 205 teams scheduled to take part in the opening ceremony:
—Britain: Helen Glover, rowing (two-time gold medalist in the coxless pair) and Tom Daley, diving (Tokyo gold medalist in 10-meter synchronized diving and owner of three Olympic bronzes)
—Canada: Maude Charron, weightlifting (Tokyo gold medalist in the 64-kilogram category) and Andre de Grasse, athletics (Tokyo gold medalist at 200 meters)
—China: Ma Long, table tennis (five-time gold medalist) and Feng Yu, artistic swimming
—Eritrea: Biniam Girmay, cycling (first Black rider to win a Tour de France stage) and Christina Rach, swimming (16 years old)
—France: Melina Robert-Michon, athletics (discus), Florent Manaudou, swimming (London gold medalist in the 50-meter freestyle and three-time Olympic silver medalist)
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—Greece: Antigoni Ntrismpioti, athletics (race walker) and Giannis Antetokounmpo, basketball (two-time NBA MVP, 2021 NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks)
—Puerto Rico: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, athletics (Tokyo gold medalist in the 100-meter hurdles) and Sebastian Rivera, wrestling
—Qatar: Shahd Ashraf, athletics (women’s 100 meters) and Mutaz Barshim, athletics (Tokyo co-gold medalist in the high jump with Gianmarco Tamberi, who is one of Italy’s flag bearers)
— Refugee Team: Yahya Al Ghotany, taekwondo (born in Syria) and Cindy Ngamba, boxing (born in Cameroon)
—Ukraine: Elina Svitolina, tennis (Tokyo bronze medalist in women’s singles and three-time Grand Slam semifinalist) and Mykhailo Romanchuk, swimmer (Tokyo silver medalist in the 1,500-meter freestyle and bronze medalist in the 800-meter freestyle)
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—United States: Coco Gauff, tennis (U.S. Open singles champion, French Open champion doubles champion) and LeBron James, basketball (four-time NBA MVP, four-time NBA champion, career scoring leader).
Follow Inquirer Sports’ special coverage of the Paris Olympics 2024.
