Tennis star Coco Gauff will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Gauff, the reigning U.S. Open champion, is set to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games and will be the first tennis athlete to carry the U.S. flag. She and James were chosen by Team USA athletes.
“I mean, for me, the Olympics is a top priority. I would say equal to the Grand Slams. I wouldn’t put it above or below, just because I’ve never played before. This is my first time,” Gauff said earlier this year. “Obviously, I always want to do well, try to get a medal.”Gauff and James, the 39-year-old leading scorer in NBA history, both compete in sports that are outside the traditional Olympic world and get attention year-round, not just every four years.
The 20-year-old Gauff made the American team for the Tokyo Games three years ago as a teenager but had to sit out those Olympics because she tested positive for COVID-19 right before she was supposed to fly to Japan.
Now Gauff, who is based in Florida, is a Grand Slam title winner in singles and doubles. She won her first major championship in New York in September, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open, then added her first Grand Slam doubles trophy at the French Open this June alongside Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic.The same clay courts at Roland Garros used for the French Open will be where matches are going to be held for the Paris Olympics. The draw to set the brackets is Thursday, and play begins on Saturday.
When did Team USA start having two flag bearers?
Starting with the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and continuing with the 2022 Beijing Olympics and now the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA has both a male and female flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony.
When is the Opening Ceremony?
The Opening Ceremony will take place down the Seine River on Friday, July 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET. Coverage will start at 12 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
The Opening Ceremony will be reaired Friday night, July 26 in primetime on NBC and Peacock.
Who will be the U.S. flag bearer for the closing ceremony?
Team USA has not announced a flag bearer for the Paris Olympics closing ceremony as of July 25.
The 1992 Barcelona Olympics was the first time Team USA had a flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony.
List of flag bearers in U.S. Olympic history
Here are all of the U.S. athletes to carry the flag in an Opening or Closing Ceremony at the Summer and Winter Olympics:
2024 Paris Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: LeBron James, basketball; Coco Gauff, tennis
- Closing Ceremony: TBDThe NBA superstar will lead American athletes during the Parade of Nations on Friday at the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
2022 Beijing Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: John Shuster, curling; Brittany Bowe, speed skating
- Closing Ceremony: Elana Meyers Taylor, bobsled
2020 Tokyo Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Eddy Alvarez, baseball; Sue Bird, basketball
- Closing Ceremony: Kara Winger, track and field
2018 PyeongChang Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Erin Hamlin, luge
- Closing Ceremony: Jessie Diggins, cross-country skiing
2016 Rio Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Michael Phelps, swimming
- Closing Ceremony: Simone Biles, gymnastics
2014 Sochi Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Todd Lodwick, Nordic combined
- Closing Ceremony: Julie Chu, hockey
2012 London Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Mariel Zagunis, fencing
- Closing Ceremony: Bryshon Nellum, track and field
2010 Vancouver Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Mark Grimmette, luge
- Closing Ceremony: Bill Demong, Nordic combined
2008 Beijing Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Lopez Lomong, track and field
- Closing Ceremony: Khatuna Lorig, archery
2006 Torino Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Chris Witty, speed skating
- Closing Ceremony: Joey Cheek, speed skating
2004 Athens Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Dawn Staley, basketball
- Closing Ceremony: Mia Hamm, soccer
2002 Salt Lake City Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Amy Peterson, short track speed skating
- Closing Ceremony: Brian Shimer, bobsled
2000 Sydney Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Cliff Meidl, canoeing
- Closing Ceremony: Rulon Gardner, wrestling
1998 Nagano Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Eric Flaim, speed skating
- Closing Ceremony: Cammi Granato, hockey
1996 Atlanta Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Bruce Baumgartner, wrestling
- Closing Ceremony: Michael Matz, equestrian
1994 Lillehammer Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Cammy Myler, luge
- Closing Ceremony: Dan Jansen, speed skating
1992 Barcelona Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Francie Larrieu Smith, track and field
- Closing Ceremony: Peter Westbrook, fencing
1992 Albertville Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Bill Koch, cross-country skiing
1988 Seoul Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Evelyn Ashford, track and field
1988 Calgary Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Lyle Nelson, biathlon
1984 Los Angeles Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Ed Burke, track and field
1984 Sarajevo Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Frank Masley, luge
1980 Lake Placid Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Scott Hamilton, figure skating
1976 Montreal Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Gary Hall, swimming
1976 Innsbruck Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Cindy Nelson, alpine skiing
1972 Munich Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Olga Fikotova Connolly, track and field
1972 Sapporo Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Dianne Holum, speed skating
1968 Mexico City Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Janice Romary, fencing
1968 Grenoble Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Terry McDermott, speed skating
1964 Tokyo Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Parry O'Brien, track and field
1964 Innsbruck Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Bill Disney, speed skating
1960 Rome Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Rafer Johnson, track and field
1960 Squaw Valley Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Don McDermott, speed skating
1956 Melbourne Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Norman Armitage, fencing
1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: James Bickford, bobsled
1952 Helsinki Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Norman Armitage, fencing
1952 Oslo Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: James Bickford, bobsled
1948 London Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Ralph Craig, track and field
1948 St. Moritz Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Jack Heaton, skeleton
1936 Berlin Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Al Jochim, gymnastics
1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Rolf Monsen, cross-country skiing
1932 Los Angeles Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Morgan Taylor, track and field
1932 Lake Placid Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Billy Fiske, bobsled
1928 Amsterdam Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Bud Houser, track and field
1928 St. Moritz Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Godfrey Dewey, president of Lake Placid Organizing Committee
1924 Paris Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Pat McDonald, track and field
1924 Chamonix Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Taffy Abel, hockey
1920 Antwerp Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: Pat McDonald, track and field
1912 Stockholm Olympics
- Opening Ceremony: George Bonhag, track and field
1908 London Olympics
