Defending Olympic champion Jakara Anthony says she’s “over the moon” to share Australia’s flag bearer duties with fellow moguls star Matt Graham.
For the first time two athletes from the same sport have been chosen to lead the Australian team at a Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
The team announcement was made on Wednesday morning, two days out from the main opening ceremony at Milan’s San Siro Olympic Stadium.
The pair were individually asked by team chef de mission Alisa Camplin about a month ago but had to keep it under wraps despite training alongside daily each other in the lead up to the Games.
“Having two moguls flag bearers, it’s the first time there’s two from one sport so we’re over the moon,” said Anthony, who will defend the moguls gold medal she won four years ago in Beijing.
“It’s really special to share it with Matt – I’ve always looked up to him.”
Anthony said it was special to mark another milestone with 31-year-old Graham, who won silver at the 2018 Olympics.
“I got to share a lot of milestones of Matt’s career, including winning silver in PyeongChang and get his first (crystal) globe,” said the Victorian product.
“I’ve been able to share the top step of the podium with him a couple times now and now we get to share this one so we’re really racking up the milestones together.”
In an historic first the opening event will be spread across four locations with the star duo to lead the Australian contingent marching in Livigno, a northern Italian town in the alps near the Swiss border.
Competing at her third Games, 27-year-old Anthony will look to become the first Australian to successfully defend a Winter Olympic title while Graham is representing for the fourth time.
Camplin announced the popular pair at a ceremony in Livigno, saying Anthony was an inspiration to many young athletes.
“Jakara is in a league of her own – role model, Olympic champion and a young Australian who sets her sights on something and doesn’t give up. I am so proud to name her flag bearer,” Camplin said.
“There are athletes in our team who saw Jakara win gold in Beijing, and it sparked their Olympic dreams.”
