Who Are USA's Flag Bearers for 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Italy?

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee announced Tuesday that speed skater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca will be Team USA's flag bearers for Friday's opening ceremony at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.

According to Phil Helsel and Rebecca Cohen of NBC News, Jackson and Del Duca were chosen as flag bearers via a vote by their fellow Team USA athletes.

Per Yahoo Sports, this marks only the second time in Winter Olympics history that Team USA has chosen two flag bearers for the opening ceremony rather than one.

Jackson is a 33-year-old athlete from Ocala, Florida, who won a gold medal in the 500-meter speed skating event at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

That victory was historic, as Jackson became the first Black woman of any nationality to win a gold medal in any individual sport at the Winter Olympics.

She also won gold in the 500m at the 2024 and 2025 Four Continents Speed Skating Championships, and silver in the team sprint at the 2023 and 2024 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships.

Per Helsel and Cohen, Jackson called her selection as a flag bearer a "tremendous honor" and "pretty overwhelming."

The 34-year-old Del Duca is originally from Florida as well, but he grew up in Bethel, Maine.

A former U.S. Army sergeant, Del Duca made his Olympic debut at the 2022 Winter Games, serving as a pilot in the two-man and four-man bobsled competitions.

According to Helsel and Cohen, Del Duca said Tuesday that it was "quite the surprise" to be chosen as a flag bearer, and during an appearance on the Today show, he said it was "something special."

Competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics will begin Wednesday with curling preliminaries, while speed skating will run from Feb. 7 through Feb. 21, and bobsled will take place from Feb. 15 through Feb. 22.