List of flag bearers for Great Britain at the Olympics

Last updated

Great Britain at the
Olympics
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Flag of the United Kingdom
IOC code GBR
NOC British Olympic Association
Medals
Gold
296
Silver
323
Bronze
331
Total
950
Summer appearances
Winter appearances
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

This is a list of flag bearers who have represented Great Britain at the Olympics. Flag bearers carried the national flag of their country at the Parade of Nations of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games. Men and women from across the country and from a variety of sports have been chosen to bear their national flag at the opening ceremony. Two people have been given the honour on more than one occasion.

Contents

Firsts

First flag bearer

Kynaston Studd carrying the flag at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. London 1908 Opening GBR2crop.jpg
Kynaston Studd carrying the flag at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

The 1906 Intercalated Games is no longer considered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to be part of the Summer Olympic Games [1] but it was the first such event to feature an opening ceremony with a parade of nations. [2] William Grenfell, 1st Baron Desborough, a member of the British fencing team who went on to be president of the British Olympic Council in time for the 1908 Games in London, [3] was the first person to carry the flag for Great Britain. [4]

With the 1908 London Games being the first true Summer Olympics to feature a parade of nations, cricketer Kynaston Studd can be said to be the first person to carry the flag for Britain at an Olympic event. However, cricket was only played at the 1900 Olympic Games (see: Cricket at the 1900 Summer Olympics) and Studd was therefore not a competitor. [5] Charles Sydney Smith won a 1908 gold medal in water polo and was chosen to represent the country as the flag bearer at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. This made him the first competing athlete to carry the flag for Great Britain.

First female flag bearer

The first woman to carry the flag was Mollie Phillips, a figure skater, who led the ceremony at the 1932 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. This made her the first woman to lead out her national team at any Olympic Games. The 1932 British Winter Olympic team comprised only four athletes, all in figure skating and all female. [6] [7] [8] Phillips was by far the senior member of the team at the age of 24 compared to Joan Dix, the second oldest, at just 13 years of age. [9]

The first female flag bearer at a Summer Olympic event was Anita Lonsbrough at the 1960 Games in Rome. Her gold medals at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games and successes in the LEN European Aquatics Championships no doubt aided her selection. [10]

Nations

The Great British team includes athletes from England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Frederick McEvoy was the first person born outside England to bear the British flag. Furthermore, as he was born in Australia, he was the first person born outside of the United Kingdom to represent the country. [11] The first person born in Scotland to lead the team out in the ceremony was gold medal-winning boxer Richard McTaggart in 1960. Lynn Davies became the first person from Wales to carry the British flag in 1968. To date nobody from Northern Ireland has been given the honour. [4]

Repeated flag bearing

While most flag bearers have only represented Great Britain once, rowing gold-medallist Steve Redgrave was chosen for the honour in two consecutive Summer Olympic Games (1992 and 1996) and biathlete Mike Dixon carried the flag in three consecutive Winter Olympic Games (1994, 1998, and 2002). [4] Redgrave decided not to stand for candidature during the selection process of the 2000 Summer Games. [12]

Selection and reactions

Shelley Rudman, carrying the flag at the 2010 Winter Olympics, said that her selection was a "huge honour". 2010 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony - Great Britain entering cropped.jpg
Shelley Rudman, carrying the flag at the 2010 Winter Olympics, said that her selection was a "huge honour".

The flag bearers are chosen by the British Olympic Association who sometimes open up the process to other British sporting agencies. The current process involves asking each sport involved in Team GB to nominate one of their own competitors, then to vote on the shortlist. This means that the process is open to a wider group of people and can involve the competitors themselves. The chosen flag bearer receives a certificate to commemorate their selection. [12] [13]

The athletes see their selection as an honour to lead the other British competitors out at the ceremony:

"I am so excited to be selected to carry the flag for Team GB. It's a huge honour for me to have been chosen to represent our team, and ultimately our country, in this way. There are some wonderful athletes here, and I will be so proud to be the person who leads them into the stadium."

—  Shelley Rudman [14]

As the parade became more firmly entrenched in tradition the pride in the role has grown. Flag bearers look back at those who previously filled the role and feel honoured to be chosen amongst them:

"It means the world, it's a real privilege, it's a real honour... It is a fantastic honour when people in the past like Matthew Pinsent, Steven Redgrave, Kate Howey, a lot of wonderful people have carried it before. I'm really, really chuffed.

—  Mark Foster [13]

The selection of a competitor can be seen as a positive reflection on the sport that they represent. When Kate Howey was chosen to bear the flag the British Judo Association noted that they were "thrilled that Kate and Judo have been given this tremendous honour". [15]

Boycotts

The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott, initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet–Afghan War, saw many countries pull out of the Games and only 16 nations appeared at the opening ceremony. Dick Palmer, secretary to the British Olympic Association, carried the Olympic flag and marched by himself. The Soviet cameramen avoided the protesting marchers and few Soviet commentators mentioned it. Only one comment was recorded: "There is the clumsy plot that you all can see, against the traditions of the Olympic movement." [16]

Flag bearer Mark Foster (pictured here in the celebratory parade after the Games finished) was the only swimmer allowed to take part in the 2008 opening ceremony. Mark Foster, October 2008.jpg
Flag bearer Mark Foster (pictured here in the celebratory parade after the Games finished) was the only swimmer allowed to take part in the 2008 opening ceremony.

While the flag bearer usually leads a large number of competitors from their country it is becoming increasingly common for athletes to stay away from the opening ceremony. The lengthy procession is said to be tiring and a distraction from important preparations. This is particularly relevant to those competing in the days immediately after the ceremony. [17] UK Athletics, presided by 1968 flag bearer Lynn Davies, [18] announced that none of its competitors will take part in the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in London. Head coach Charles van Commenee explained "They would not go shopping for eight hours before their biggest event so why would you be on your feet for that long?" [19]

Other sports leaders have done the same. 2008 flag bearer Mark Foster was the only swimmer to take part in the parade while none of his colleagues were permitted to join in the celebration. [17] They also avoided the 2012 event, [20] preceded the year before by a statement setting the expectation:

"History shows that swimmers do not march in the opening ceremony... Our process will be to talk to our swimmer leadership group about all the pluses and minuses. Most of the leading swimming nations do not march. The decision has got to be based on performance and that's got to be the focus."

— Michael Scott, performance director of British Swimming [17]

If competitors from the other early sports (rowing, cycling, basketball, volleyball, handball, badminton, and gymnastics) also shun the parade the British representation may look very small at their own Olympics. [17] Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London 2012 Organising Committee, moved to reassure athletes and coaches, explaining that all competitors will have completed their duties before midnight and will have sufficient time to rest. The final decision will lie with the individuals and their coaching team. [21]

Other notes

List of flag bearers

List of flag bearers: [4]

Lucinda Green, one of only three women to have carried the British flag at the Summer Olympic opening ceremony. Lucinda green.jpg
Lucinda Green, one of only three women to have carried the British flag at the Summer Olympic opening ceremony.
Christopher Dean, the only ice dancer to have carried the flag. Christopher Dean.jpg
Christopher Dean, the only ice dancer to have carried the flag.
William Grenfell, 1st Baron Desborough, flag bearer at the 1906 Intercalated Games where the first parade of nations was held. William Henry Grenfell 1921.jpg
William Grenfell, 1st Baron Desborough, flag bearer at the 1906 Intercalated Games where the first parade of nations was held.
No.Event yearSeasonFlag bearerSportRef
1 1906 Summer William Grenfell Fencing [4]
2 1908 Summer Kynaston Studd Cricket
3 1912 Summer Charles Smith Water polo
4 1920 Summer Philip Noel-Baker Athletics
5 1924 Summer Arthur Hunt Water polo
6 1928 Summer Malcolm Nokes Athletics
7 1932 Winter Mollie Phillips Figure skating
8 1932 Summer David Cecil Athletics
9 1936 Winter Frederick McEvoy Bobsleigh
10 1936 Summer Jack Beresford Rowing
11 1948 Winter Henry Graham Sharp Figure skating
12 1948 Summer John Emrys Lloyd Fencing
13 1952 Winter John Nicks Figure skating
14 1952 Summer Harold Whitlock Athletics
15 1956 Winter Stuart Parkinson Bobsleigh
16 1956 Summer George MacKenzie Wrestling
17 1960 Winter John Moore Biathlon
18 1960 Summer Richard McTaggart Boxing
19 1964 Winter Keith Schellenberg Bobsleigh & Luge
20 1964 Summer Anita Lonsbrough Swimming
21 1968 Winter Robin Dixon Bobsleigh
22 1968 Summer Lynn Davies Athletics
23 1972 Winter Mike Freeman Bobsleigh
24 1972 Summer David Broome Equestrianism
25 1976 Winter John Curry Figure skating
26 1976 Summer Rodney Pattisson Sailing
27 1980 Winter Jeremy Palmer-Tomkinson Alpine skiing & Luge
28 1980 SummerDick PalmerOfficial (See: #Boycotts)
29 1984 Winter Christopher Dean Ice dancing
30 1984 Summer Lucinda Green Equestrianism
31 1988 Winter Nick Phipps Bobsleigh
32 1988 Summer Ian Taylor Field hockey
33 1992 Winter Wilf O'Reilly Short track speed skating
34 1992 Summer Steve Redgrave Rowing
35 1994 Winter Mike Dixon Biathlon
36 1996 Summer Steve Redgrave Rowing
37 1998 Winter Mike Dixon Biathlon
38 2000 Summer Matthew Pinsent Rowing
39 2002 Winter Mike Dixon Biathlon
40 2004 Summer Kate Howey Judo
41 2006 Winter Rhona Martin Curling
42 2008 Summer Mark Foster Swimming
43 2010 Winter Shelley Rudman Skeleton
44 2012 Summer Chris Hoy Cycling
45 2014 Winter Jon Eley Short track speed skating [23] [4]
46 2016 Summer Andy Murray Tennis [4]
47 2018 Winter Lizzy Yarnold Skeleton [24]
48 2020 Summer Hannah Mills Sailing [25]
49 Moe Sbihi Rowing
50 2022 Winter Eve Muirhead Curling [26]
51 Dave Ryding Alpine skiing

See also

Related Research Articles

2008 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations was part of the opening ceremony that originating with the 1896 Olympic Games. The national team from each nation participating in the Olympic Games paraded behind their national flag into the Olympic Stadium. The flag bearer was an athlete of each national delegation chosen, to represent the athletes, either by the National Olympic Committee or by the national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympic Games ceremony</span> Ceremonial events of the ancient and modern Olympic Games

The Olympic Games ceremonies of the Ancient Olympic Games were an integral part of these Games; the modern Olympic games have opening, closing, and medal ceremonies. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies date back to the Ancient Games from which the Modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies. During the 2004 Games, the medal winners received a crown of olive branches, which was a direct reference to the Ancient Games, in which the victor's prize was an olive wreath. The various elements of the ceremonies are mandated by the Olympic Charter, and cannot be changed by the host nation. This requirement of seeking the approval of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) includes the artistic portion of opening and closing ceremonies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Algeria at the 2010 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Algeria sent a delegation to compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, held between 12 and 28 February 2010. The country's participation at Vancouver marked its third appearance at a Winter Olympics since its debut in 1992. The delegation consisted of a single cross-country skier, Mehdi-Selim Khelifi. Khelifi competed in the 15 kilometre freestyle event, and finished in 84th place

During the Parade of Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, held beginning at 6:00 PM PST on February 12, 2010, 82 athletes bearing the flags of their respective nations led their national delegations as they paraded into BC Place Stadium in the host city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Winter Olympics Parade of Nations</span>

2014 Winter Olympics Parade of Nations was part of the opening ceremony at the 2014 Winter Olympics. The national team from each nation participating in the Olympic Games was preceded by their national flag flag bearer into Fisht Olympic Stadium in the host city of Sochi, Russia. The flag bearer was an athlete of each national delegation chosen, to represent the athletes, either by the National Olympic Committee or by the national team.

During the closing ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, the flag bearers of 92 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) arrived into Pyeongchang Olympic Stadium on February 25. The flag bearers from each participating country entered the stadium informally in single file, and behind them marched all the athletes. The flags of each country were not necessarily carried by the same flag bearer as in the opening ceremony. The flag-bearers entered in ganada order of the Korean alphabet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Singapore at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Singapore sent a delegation to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018. This marked the debut for Singapore at the Winter Olympics. The country was represented by single competitor, speed skater Cheyenne Goh. She did not advance out of the qualifying round of her event, the women's 1500 metres race.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malta at the 2018 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Malta sent a delegation to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from 9 to 25 February 2018, with one competitor, alpine skier Élise Pellegrin. It was the country's second Winter Olympic appearance, after the 2014 Winter Olympics. Pellegrin was designated as the flag bearer for both the parade of nations during the opening ceremony, and the closing ceremony. She was disqualified from the giant slalom, and finished 50th in the slalom.

During the Parade of Nations at the 2018 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, held on 4 April 2018, 71 athletes bearing the flags of their respective nations led their national delegations as they paraded into Carrara Stadium in the host city of Gold Coast, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Asian Games Parade of Nations</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations</span> Opening ceremony event

During the Parade of Nations within the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, which took place on 23 July 2021, athletes and officials from each participating team entered the Olympic Stadium preceded by their flag and placard bearer. Each flag bearer will have been chosen either by the team's National Olympic Committee or by the athletes themselves. For the first time, each team had the option to allow two flag bearers, one male and one female, in an effort to promote gender equality. These Olympics were postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of athletes who paraded at this opening ceremony was much smaller than normal because of the new "2-week, 2-wave" system. First used at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics, the athletes who competed in the first week marched at the opening ceremony, while those scheduled for the second week paraded at the closing ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Britain at the 2022 Winter Olympics</span> Sporting event delegation

Great Britain competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, from 4 to 20 February 2022. The Great Britain team consists of 50 athletes. Eve Muirhead and Dave Ryding were the country's flagbearers during the opening ceremony. Meanwhile curler Bruce Mouat was the flagbearer during the closing ceremony.

During the Parade of Nations within the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremony on February 4th, athletes and officials from each participating country marched in the Beijing National Stadium preceded by their flag and placard bearer bearing the respective country's name. Each flag bearer was chosen either by the nation's National Olympic Committee or by the team of athletes themselves.

During the Parade of Nations at the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, held on 28 July 2022, athletes bearing the flags of their respective nations lead their national delegations as they paradeed into Alexander Stadium in the host city of Birmingham, England. A total of 72 Commonwealth Games Associations entered into the stadium.

References

  1. ↑ "What Events are Olympic?". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  2. ↑ "1906 Athina Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  3. ↑ "The Fourth Olympiad, London, 1908, Official Report" (PDF). Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Great Britain". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  5. ↑ Williamson, Martin. "The ignorant Olympians". Cricinfo . Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  6. ↑ "Lake Placid 1932: A Female Flag-bearer". Olympic.org. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  7. ↑ bird, Dennis (18 January 1995). "OBITUARIES: Mollie Phillips". The Independent. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  8. ↑ "Welcoming the world at the Opening Ceremony".
  9. ↑ "Great Britain at the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  10. ↑ Allen, Nick (11 August 2008). "Anita Lonsbrough watches Rebecca Adlingon win Beijing Olympic gold". The Daily Telegraph . London. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  11. ↑ "Freddie McEvoy Biography and Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  12. 1 2 "Pinsent the flag-bearer". BBC Sport . 13 September 2000. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  13. 1 2 "Foster to carry flag for Britain". BBC Sport . 6 August 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  14. ↑ Benammar, Emily (12 February 2010). "Winter Olympics 2010: Shelly Rudman Britain's flagbearer for opening ceremony". The Daily Telegraph . London. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  15. ↑ "Kate Howey to carry the British Flag". British Judo Association. 2003. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  16. ↑ Fimrite, Ron (28 July 1980). "Only The Bears Were Bullish". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved 26 October 2011.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Hart, Simon (21 July 2011). "London 2012 Olympics: Great Britain swimmers to shun opening ceremony next year". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  18. ↑ Fimrite, Ron. "UK Athletics Members Council". UK Athletics . Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  19. ↑ "GB track & field team to miss 2012 Olympics opening ceremony". BBC Sport . 15 July 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  20. ↑ "Team GB swimmers will not attend the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony" . Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  21. ↑ Toney, James (7 October 2011). "London 2012: Locog promises athletes will be in bed by midnight after opening ceremony". SportsBeat. Archived from the original on 5 November 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  22. ↑ Hendricks, Maggie (12 February 2010). "Nine fine facts about flagbearers in tonight's Opening Ceremony". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved 27 October 2011.
  23. ↑ "Jon Eley named as Flagbearer for Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony". Team GB . Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  24. ↑ "The Flagbearers for the PyeongChang 2018 Opening Ceremony" (PDF). olympics.com. IOC . Retrieved 28 April 2022.
  25. ↑ "Tokyo Olympics: Hannah Mills and rower Mohamed Sbihi to be Team GB flag bearers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  26. ↑ "The flagbearers for the Beijing 2022 Opening Ceremony" (PDF). olympics.com. IOC . Retrieved 28 April 2022.
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