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Elana Meyers Taylor Elected as Closing Ceremony Flag Bearer for 2022 U.S. Olympic Team

by U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee

 

 

BEIJING – Four-time Olympic bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor was elected to lead the 2022 U.S. Olympic Team as flag bearer into Sunday's Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, as announced today by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. Meyers Taylor was chosen by a vote of fellow members of Team USA.  

Meyers Taylor was also elected to lead the U.S. delegation into Opening Ceremony but was unable to attend the ceremony due to testing positive for COVID-19. Speedskater Brittany Bowe walked on behalf of Meyers Taylor.  
"I was so honored to be named the Opening Ceremony flag bearer, but after not being able to carry the flag, it’s even more humbling to lead the United States at the Closing Ceremony,” said Meyers Taylor. “Congratulations to my fellow Team USA athletes on all their success in Beijing – I'm looking forward to carrying the flag with my teammates by my side and closing out these Games.” 

 

 


Meyers Taylor won the silver medal in the Olympic debut of women’s monobob competition on Feb. 14 at Yanqing National Sliding Center, adding to the two silver medals she won at PyeongChang 2018 and Sochi 2014, and bronze medal at Vancouver 2010. She returns to the track for two-woman bobsled, with the first heat scheduled for 8:00 p.m. in Beijing on Friday, Feb. 18. 


Meyers Taylor is the first bobsled athlete to serve as Closing Ceremony flag bearer for Team USA since Brian Shimer in 2002. She is the second U.S. athlete to have been elected as the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony flag bearer, joining bobsled and skeleton athlete Jack Heaton, who carried the flag in both ceremonies in St. Moritz in 1948. Heaton won three medals in 1928, 1932 and 1948.  

An enhanced primetime presentation of the Closing Ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics from the Beijing National Stadium will air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The Closing Ceremony will be presented Sunday live at 7 a.m. ET on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app.

U.S. Olympic Team Flag Bearers – Closing Ceremony 

1960     Donald McDermott, Speedskating 

1964     Jean Saubert, Alpine Skiing 

1968     Tim Wood, Figure Skating 

1972     Barbara Ann Cochran, Alpine Skiing 

1976     Sheila Young, Speedskating 

1980     Eric Heiden, Speedskating 

1984     Phil Mahre, Alpine Skiing 

1988     Bonnie Blair, Speedskating 

1992     Bonnie Blair, Speedskating 

1994     Dan Jansen, Speedskating 

1998     Cammi Granato, Ice Hockey 

2002     Brian Shimer, Bobsled 

2006     Joey Cheek, Speedskating 

2010     Bill Demong, Nordic Combined 

2014     Julie Chu, Ice Hockey 

2018     Jessie Diggins, Cross-Country Skiing 

2022     Elana Meyers Taylor, Bobsled

 

Want to follow Team USA athletes during the Olympic Games Beijing 2022? Visit TeamUSA.org/Beijing-2022-Olympic-Games to view the competition schedule, medal table and results.

U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee