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Her 14 medals make her the most-decorated U.S. female Olympian of all time. He helped break a golden drought dating to 1960. With those accomplishments in hand, swimmer Katie Ledecky and rower Nick Mead were chosen as the flagbearers for the Paris Olympics’ closing ceremony on Sunday, according to Team USA.
Both of the athletes were informed of their selection by teammates -- Ledecky while watching another swimming event, and Mead as he sat down at a café for breakfast.
“I’m here at open water, and you’re making me cry,” Ledecky told her training partner Bobby Finke, who called her to share the news of her selection.
.@katieledecky answers the call 🫡
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 8, 2024
The 14x Olympic medalist receives the news from @Robert_Finke that she’ll be one of Team USA’s flag bearers at the Closing Ceremony. 🇺🇸#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/bvTYp1eHxv
“I got chills,” Mead said as his teammates informed him that he would be the first U.S. rower to carry the flag at an Olympics. After a pause, he said, “Alright. Gotta get a haircut.”
Mead then added, “Do we still get breakfast?”
Nick Mead made history as a member of the first U.S. men's four rowing team to win Olympic gold since 1960.
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 8, 2024
Now, he'll make even more history as the first rower to lead Team USA as one of our flag bearers at the Closing Ceremony. 🇺🇸#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/4cBLXz4s6T
Mead won gold in the coxless men’s four, sharing a boat with Liam Corrigan, Michael Grady and Justin Best. The group held off New Zealand by 0.85 of a second to take the first U.S. Olympic gold in the men’s event since Dwight D. Eisenhower was president.
Ledecky won two gold medals in Paris and set a new Olympic record in her signature event, the women’s 1500-meter freestyle.
Ledecky, who also captained the U.S. swimming team, said via the X platform that she is honored to represent Team USA.
“Proud of my teammates here in Paris, and excited to celebrate with all of them on Sunday,” she said.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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