PARIS (AP) — Swim stars will be prominent among the flag-bearers when Olympic athletes bid farewell to the Paris Games in a closing ceremony at France’s national stadium on Sunday night.
Léon Marchand has been one of the biggest stars in Paris with his four gold medals and he’s set to carry the French flag into the farewell celebration. Katie Ledecky will carry the U.S. flag along with rower Nick Mead.
There’s an air of anticipation of over what director Thomas Jolly has created to bring the Games to a close at Stade de France after the grandiose and unprecedented open-air opening ceremony on the Seine river.
Athletes entering on a parade on boats and the celebration of inclusivity generated headlines around the world.
The closing ceremony features the athletes’ parade and the handover of the Olympic flag to the organizers of the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
Organizers said the ceremony will include more than 100 performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists on a huge stage.
Many nations wait until the last day of competition to confirm their flag bearers for the closing ceremony, with 14 medals still to be decided on Sunday. Here is a look at some of those scheduled to take part:
—France: Swimming sensation Marchand is a household name in France and becoming one beyond, recently appearing on NBC’s Today Show. The 22-year-old Marchand won all France’s four swimming gold medals in the pool as he took the Games by storm. He is set to carry the flag alongside mountain bike gold medalist Pauline Ferrand-Prévot.
—United States: Swimming great Ledecky will leave the Paris Games with gold medals in the women’s 800-meter freestyle and 1,500-meter freestyle, which increased her career haul to nine Olympic golds. She will co-carry the U.S. flag with rower Mead, who helped the U.S. win its first Olympic gold medal in the men’s four class since 1960.
—Australia: Swim star Kaylee McKeown and sailor Matt Wearn will carry Australia’s flag. McKeown won the 100- and the 200-meter backstroke titles to repeat her feat from the Tokyo Games in 2021.
—India: Manu Bhaker and PR Sreejesh will be India’s flag carriers. Bhaker became the first Indian woman to win a medal in shooting, taking a bronze in the 10-meter air pistol. She added another in the mixed team event. Sreejesh helped India win another bronze in men’s field hockey and the 36-year-old goalkeeper is retiring after the Games.
—Italy: Italian couple Rossella Fiamingo and Gregorio Paltrinieri will carry their national flag to bring the Games to close. Fiamingo won a team fencing gold in Paris and Paltrinieri won silver and bronze in the swimming pool.
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AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
