Flagbearer in Tokyo 2020. GETTY IMAGES

The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony takes place this evening with a spectacular show expected along the River Seine in the French capital. Watch as 10,500 athletes, who have earned their place in sporting glory, parade past and the Olympic flame lights the cauldron in the Tuileries Garden.

Most countries will have two athletes hoisting a large flag in the boats along the Seine River for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony Friday.

Being chosen as a flag bearer at the Games is a prestigious honour. Traditionally, each nation had only one flag bearer. However, starting with the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, delegations now select one woman and one man to share the duty during the opening ceremony. 

Occasionally, if only one athlete is present, that individual will carry the flag alone. This year, six teams are in this situation. For instance, Belize’s flag will be carried by its sole competitor, 100-metre sprinter Shaun Gill.

Helen Glover and Tom Daley are Great Britain's flagbearers. GETTY IMAGES
Helen Glover and Tom Daley are Great Britain's flagbearers. GETTY IMAGES


The flag bearers to look out for...

Great Britain: Helen Glover, rowing (two-time gold medalist in the coxless pair) and Tom Daley, diving (Tokyo gold medalist in 10-metre synchronised diving and owner of three Olympic bronzes).

United States: Coco Gauff, tennis (U.S. Open singles champion, French Open champion doubles champion) and LeBron James, basketball (four-time NBA MVP, four-time NBA champion, career scoring leader).

Canada: Maude Charron, weightlifting (Tokyo gold medalist in the 64-kilogram category) and Andre de Grasse, athletics (Tokyo gold medalist at 200 metres).

China: Ma Long, table tennis (five-time gold medalist) and Feng Yu (artistic swimming).

Eritrea: Biniam Girmay (cycling) and Christina Rach (swimming).

France: Melina Robert-Michon, athletics (discus), Florent Manaudou (swimming), (London gold medalist in the 50-meter freestyle and three-time Olympic silver medalist).




Greece: Antigoni Ntrismpioti, athletics (race walker) and Giannis Antetokounmpo, basketball (two-time NBA MVP, 2021 NBA champion with the Milwaukee Bucks).

Puerto Rico: Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, athletics (Tokyo gold medalist in the 100-meter hurdles) and Sebastian Rivera, wrestling.

Qatar: Shahd Ashraf, athletics (women’s 100 meters) and Mutaz Barshim, athletics (Tokyo co-gold medalist in the high jump with Gianmarco Tamberi, who is one of Italy’s flag bearers).

Refugee Team: Yahya Al Ghotany, taekwondo (born in Syria) and Cindy Ngamba, boxing (born in Cameroon).

Ukraine: Elina Svitolina, tennis (Tokyo bronze medalist in women’s singles and three-time Grand Slam semifinalist) and Mykhailo Romanchuk, swimmer (Tokyo silver medalist in the 1,500-meter freestyle and bronze medalist in the 800-meter freestyle).