Michael Phelps Selected as Team USA’s Flag Bearer for Rio 2016 Olympic Games

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Most decorated Olympian of all time set to lead U.S. Olympic delegation into Opening Ceremony

Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, was selected as Team USA’s flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony of the 2016 Olympic Games, the United States Olympic Committee announced today. The Opening Ceremony will be held Aug. 5 at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Phelps, who is the first American male swimmer to qualify for a fifth Olympic Games, was chosen by a vote of fellow Team USA members.

Phelps made history at the Beijing Games in 2008 when he won gold medals in eight events and added to his legacy in 2012 when he became the most decorated Olympian of all time with 22 career medals, including 18 golds. Set to compete in three individual events in Rio, Phelps, will look to add to his historic Olympic medal haul in 2016.

“I’m honored to be chosen, proud to represent the U.S., and humbled by the significance of carrying the flag and all it stands for,” Phelps said. “For Sydney, I just wanted to make the team. For Athens, I wanted to win gold for my country. For Beijing, I wanted to do something nobody else had done. In London, I wanted to make history. And now, I want to walk in the Opening Ceremony, take it all in, represent America in the best possible way and make my family proud. This time around, it’s about so much more than medals.”

Making his Olympic debut at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Phelps became the youngest male Olympian since 1932, and his eight gold medals from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is an Olympic record.

Phelps is only the second swimmer to lead the U.S. delegation into the Opening Ceremony and the fifth swimmer to serve as flag bearer for Team USA at the Olympic Games. Four-time Olympic medalist Gary Hall previously carried the flag into the Opening Ceremony of the 1976 Olympic Games in Montréal.

Gary Hall, Sr. no date with flag - E. Germany closing ceremony

Photo Courtesy: Swimming World

The 2016 Olympic Games will take place from Aug. 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro, marking the first Olympic Games to be held in South America.

U.S Olympic Team Flag Bearers – Opening Ceremony
1908     Ralph Rose, Track and Field
1912     George Bonhag, Track and Field
1920     Patrick McDonald, Track and Field
1924     Patrick McDonald, Track and Field
1928     Lemuel (Bud) Houser, Track and Field
1932     F. Morgan Taylor, Track and Field
1936     Alfred Jochim, Gymnastics
1948     Ralph Craig, Yachting
1952     Norman Armitage, Fencing
1956     Norman Armitage, Fencing
Warren Wooford, Equestrian*
1960     Rafer Johnson, Track and Field
1964     William Parry O’Brien, Track and Field
1968     Janice Lee Romary, Fencing
1972     Olga Fikotova Connolly, Track and Field
1976     Gary Hall, Swimming
1980     U.S. did not attend
1984     Edward Burke, Track and Field
1988     Evelyn Ashford, Track and Field
1992     Francie Larrieu Smith, Track and Field
1996     Bruce Baumgartner, Wrestling
2000     Cliff Meidl, Canoe/Kayak
2004     Dawn Staley, Basketball
2008     Lopez Lomong, Track and Field
2012     Mariel Zagunis, Fencing
2016     Michael Phelps, Swimming

*Due to Australia’s immigration laws for horses, the 1956 equestrian events were held in Stockholm, Swede

The above is a press release from the USOC. Swimming World contributed to this report.

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Tina Hadorn
7 years ago

?????????

Clare Higgins
7 years ago

Very fitting! Best chance to do it with the schedule too, hopefully he won’t have to be on his feet the full ceremony (still rooting for that hatrick of golds ???????)

Andi William Fernando TD

Congrats Phelps suprised me a single guys couldnt won it but U wow what an amazing, talanted

Cathy Hyslop
7 years ago

Thoroughly deserved too!!

Sarah Douglas Cox
7 years ago

Can’t wait till Saturday to watch some swimming!!

Dave Alva
7 years ago

Tenía que ser él.

Swapnil Kothari
7 years ago

All the best Michael ?????????????

Paul Hufschmidt
7 years ago

Vincent Lasee

Vincent Lasee
7 years ago

Habs heid frua a scho gsehn

Paul Hufschmidt
7 years ago

äääh passiert??

Rick Stanfield
7 years ago

As it should be. He made his mistakes and has worked thru them. The greatest Olympian of all time clearly deserves the honor of carrying out flag.

Sue Tharnish
7 years ago

Heard Katie Ledecky could be the femail Phelps at Rio!

Russell Simpson
7 years ago

Couldn’t think of a better person to carry the flag with honour!?????

Thomas A. Small
7 years ago

Congratulations Michael Phelps can’t wait to watch

Kara Muscillo
7 years ago

Appropriate!! Good luck team usa

Marcia Carpenter
7 years ago

Awesome

Valerie Brawders Sweeney

He deserves it.

Katy Dean
7 years ago

Knew it!!

Jim Blake
7 years ago

Let’s all pray that we have a safe Olympics in Rio. Michael is already in training for the 2020 Olympics. His swimming achievements have merited him this honor.

Stacey Muñatones Ballance

Mark Maretzki

Natasha Kennedy
7 years ago

James David

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