Saturday 20 August 2016

Simone Biles selected as Team USA’s Closing Ceremonies flag-bearer

Posted by sizzledfeed on 11:59

Simone Biles will return to U.S. with four Olympic gold medals and one bronze. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

The world’s greatest female gymnast, Simone Biles, will lead Team USA during the Closing Ceremonies as the flag-bearer after being chosen by fellow American teammates, the U.S. Olympic Committee announced Saturday morning.

Biles, 19, entrenched herself as one of the best ever in the sport and potentially the greatest American gymnast of all time after winning four gold medals and one bronze at the Rio Olympics.

Winning four gold medals at a single Olympic Games had only been accomplished by three other women. She was the first American to do so.

“It’s an incredible honor to be selected as the flag bearer by my Team USA teammates,” Biles said in a statement. “This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me and my team and I consider it a privilege to represent my country, the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics by carrying our flag. I also wish to thank the city of Rio de Janeiro, and the entire country of Brazil, for hosting an incredible Games.”

The Spring, Tex., resident won gold in team competition, individual all-around, vault and floor exercise and bronze in the balance beam. Her soaring performances left viewers spellbound and teammates gushing over her.

“I’m in awe watching her, and I’ve trained with her for so long,” teammate Aly Raisman said of Biles after winning silver in the floor exercise.

Biles has had an eventful last week of the Olympics, meeting her celebrity crush Zac Efron and posing for a Sports Illustrated cover photo shoot with fellow Olympic stars Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky. Both Phelps and Ledecky have already returned to the United States.

[Simone Biles seals her historic Rio Olympics with a kiss from Zac Efron]

Sunday will be the first time a female gymnast has served as Team USA’s flag-bearer in either the Opening or Closing Ceremonies. Only one other gymnast has had the honor: Al Jochim, a two-time silver medalist at the 1932 Olympics, was chosen to be the flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1936 Olympics.

Here are the previous Closing Ceremonies flag-bearers for Team USA:

1952     Bob Kurland, Basketball
1956     Pete Rademacher, Boxing
1960     Mike Troy, Swimming
1964     Don Schollander, Swimming
1968     Al Oerter, Track and Field
1972     Mike Burton, Swimming
1976     Willie Davenport, Track and Field
1984     Jeff Blatnick Wresting
1988     Terry Schroeder, Water Polo
1992     Peter Westbrook, Fencing
1996     Michael Matz, Equestrian
2000     Rulon Gardner, Wrestling
2004     Mia Hamm, Soccer
2008     Khatuna Lorig, Archery
2012     Bryshon Nellum, Track and Field
2016     Simone Biles, Gymnastics

Credit:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/08/20/simone-biles-selected-as-team-usas-closing-ceremonies-flag-bearer/