This is a list of flag bearers who have represented United States at the Olympics. Flag bearers carry the national flag of their country at the opening ceremony and closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. Men and women from across the country and from a variety of sports have carried the flag at both the Summer Olympic Games and the Winter Olympic Games. More than half of those representing the teams at the Summer Olympics are track or field athletes, though that sport does account for the most competitors at the Games.
Lopez Lomong says he felt "blessed" to be selected as the 2008 flag bearer.
The flag bearers are chosen by a vote of the team captains of each sport.[8]
Athletes view their selection of flag bearer as a great honor:
It's more than a dream. "I keep saying, I'm not sure if this is true or not true. I'm making the team and now I'm the first guy coming to the stadium and the whole world will be watching me carry the flag. There are no words to describe it."
"I feel happy, honored. I'm feeling so blessed to get an opportunity to present the United States of America, to present the United States flag in front of my team."
I'm still shaking. I was incredibly surprised when Brian [Martin] told me, and I'm still trying to process it all. To be the person leading the U.S. team into the opening ceremony is just such a great honor."
—Mark Grimmette in a statement released by the U.S. Olympic Committee[9]
Flag dipping
Ralph Rose competing at the 1908 Olympics after not dipping the flag in the opening ceremony
Olympic protocol is that the flag bearer dips their flag to the head of state as part of the parade. It has become tradition that the U.S. flag is not dipped, though the origins of this are surrounded by legend and are widely misreported:[10][11]
The motives for the original refusal, the identity of the flag-bearer and the truth behind the quotation and other issues remain much murkier in the historical record than legend-tellers portray ... The evolution of this flag mythology reveals a great deal about the complex strains of early 20th century American nationalism.
The parade of nations was introduced at the 1906 Intercalated Games with Matthew Halpin as the U.S. flag bearer. Halpin gladly dipped the flag, noting that when he did so King George I of Greece "staked me to a smile that made me feel like I belonged".[12] The controversy began at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London where flag bearers were expected to dip the flag to Edward VII on two occasions. Research by the International Society of Olympic Historians concluded that the flag bearer was Ralph Rose and that he might not have dipped the flag to the British King on one of those occasions in support of Irish struggle against British imperialism. Martin Sheridan is often attributed with the explanation by stating at the time "This flag dips to no earthly king" but no evidence of this can be found.[12] Modern versions of the story describe how the Stars and Stripes have never been dipped during the parade of nations since 1908 but this is apocryphal. It has been dipped on three occasions since then: 1912, 1924, and 1932.[11]
The 1932 winter games were held in Lake Placid and, though head of state President Herbert Hoover would normally have greeted the parade of nations, the duty was passed to New York governorFranklin Roosevelt.[12] This was the last time that the flag was dipped at the Olympics as political forces intervened thereafter. The head of state awaiting the athletes at the 1936 Summer Games was Adolf Hitler, to whom the U.S. refused to lower their flag.[11] The 1940 Olympics were cancelled due to the onset of World War II and, in 1942, the United States Congress introduced the United States Flag Code which stated: "That no disrespect should be given to the flag of the United States of America, the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing."[12][13] However, since the Flag Code is legally unenforceable, it appears to be merely codified tradition.
Foreign-born representatives
Pat McDonald, the first athlete to carry the flag for the United States on two occasions and the first flag bearer born outside of the U.S.
Several foreign-born athletes have represented the United States at the opening ceremonies. Irishman Pat McDonald immigrated to the U.S. and was the first in 1920 and he, at the age of 42, became the oldest Olympic track & field champion. Though he did not compete, he also went on to lead the U.S. team at the following Summer Olympics.[7]
Rolf Monsen, a multi-discipline Winter sports athlete born in Oslo, Norway, immigrated to the U.S. and competed as an American in 1928 and 1932. He qualified for the 1936 Games and though an injury prevented him from taking part, he was still chosen to carry the flag.[14]
The American team at the 1936 Summer Games were led by Berlin-born, highly regarded gymnast Al Jochim who immigrated to the U.S.[2][15]
Olga Fikotová was a discus-thrower at the 1956 Summer Olympics and the only athlete to win a gold medal for her home country Czechoslovakia in that year. She began a much-publicised romance with American athlete Hal Connolly, much to the frustration of the Communist authorities. Fikotová was accused of being a traitor and the Czechoslovak Olympic Committee banned her from representing her country again. Now living in the U.S., she would go on to compete for her adopted country in the next four Summer Games. Despite not being able to replicate her success, Fikotová was chosen to lead the American team at the 1972 Games in Munich, West Germany.[16]
↑ Meyers was originally selected as the opening ceremony flagbearer but was forced into isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. She was later voted to be the closing ceremony flagbearer.[21]
↑ Bowe became an opening ceremony flagbearer as the first alternate after Elana Meyers tested positive for COVID-19 and was forced into isolation.[21]
Related Research Articles
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Oslo 1952, was a winter multi-sport event held from 14 to 25 February 1952 in Oslo, the capital of Norway.
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Lake Placid 1932, were a winter multi-sport event in the United States, held in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 13. It was the first of four Winter Olympics held in the United States; Lake Placid hosted again in 1980.
The 1960 Winter Olympics were a winter multi-sport event held from February 18 to 28, 1960, at the Squaw Valley Resort in Squaw Valley, California, United States. The resort was chosen to host the Games at the 1956 meeting of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Squaw Valley was an undeveloped resort in 1955, so the infrastructure and all of the venues were built between 1956 and 1960 at a cost of US$80,000,000. The layout was designed to be intimate, allowing spectators and competitors to reach most of the venues on foot.
The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) sent a delegation to compete at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy from 10 to 26 February 2006. The only competitor sent by the USVI was Anne Abernathy, who broke her wrist in a practice run and was therefore unable to compete.
Lesotho first participated at the Olympic Games in 1972 and has sent athletes to compete in every Summer Olympic Games since then, except when they boycotted the 1976 Summer Olympics along with most other African nations. Lesotho has never participated in the Winter Olympic Games.
Mollie Doreen Phillips OBE was a British figure skater and Olympic judge. She is regarded as a pioneer in the sport. Phillips was the first woman to carry a national flag at the opening ceremony of an Olympic Games when she led out Great Britain at the 1932 Winter Olympics. In 1961 she became High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire, the first woman to hold the title.
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