PyeongChang 2018: Skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold to carry flag for Team GB at Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
Reigning women’s skeleton champion Lizzy Yarnold will lead Team GB into tomorrow’s PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony after being selected as flag bearer.
The Sochi 2014 gold-medallist, who trains with the British Bobsleigh & Skeleton Association (BBSA) at the University of Bath, is aiming to become the first British Winter Olympian to defend her title.
Yarnold, who carried the flag at the closing ceremony in 2014, said: “My first reaction when I was asked to be flag bearer was complete excitement and I’m really proud to march in front of the whole team.
“There are so many talented athletes competing here for Team GB at this Olympic Games and hopefully this can be the start of our most successful ever Winter Olympics.
“Being flag bearer at Sochi felt like a real celebration whereas this time around it’s a completely different responsibility. This could be the start of something really special and I hope the other athletes aren’t too far behind me as we’re very much one team going into these Games.”
Yarnold is the fourth University of Bath-based athlete to carry the flag for Team GB at an Olympics opening ceremony in the past 14 years.
Double Olympic judo medallist Kate Howey had the honour of leading the team at the Athens 2004 Summer Games and swimmer Mark Foster did so at Beijing 2008 – both are inductees into the University of Bath Hall of Fame for Sport.
University of Bath graduate Shelley Rudman, who won skeleton silver at Turin 2006, was flag bearer at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Yarnold is one of 16 athletes who train at the University of Bath who will be competing in South Korea over the next two weeks, with the Opening Ceremony taking place from 11am to 1pm GMT on Friday.
