Nobody can deny that carrying the nation’s flag at a global event like the Olympics is a matter of pride. The Olympics are surely the pinnacle of sports events, where athletes aim to win Olympic medals.
As the Paris Olympics 2024 is all set to conclude after providing numerous memories, the closing ceremony is now the centre of attention. It is expected to be a grand event, with many artists performing and various spectacles planned. However, beyond the performances, the flag-bearing ceremony is going to be significant. Every country has announced their closing ceremony flag bearers, just as they did for the opening ceremony.
India’s Olympic contingent, which won six medals this time, five bronze and one silver and witnessed several fourth-place finishes, have also announced their athletes who will hoist the flag. Two bronze medallists, Manu Bhaker and the legendary hockey player P. R. Sreejesh, whose team clinched the bronze by convincingly beating Spain 2-1, are set to hoist the flag. But before we discuss more about them, let’s take a look at the list of flag bearers from past closing ceremonies of the Olympics.
Indian flagbearers at Olympic closing ceremonies
| Year (Since 1984) | Closing Flag Bearers |
|---|---|
| 1984 LA Olympics | Zafar Iqbal (Hockey) |
| 1988 Seoul Olympics | Suresh Babu (Athletics) |
| 1992 Barcelona Olympics | Shiny Abraham (Athletics) |
| 1996 Atlanta Olympics | Leander Paes (Tennis) |
| 2000 Sydney Olympics | Leander Paes |
| 2004 Athens Olympics | Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Shooting) |
| 2008 Beijing Olympics | Sushil Kumar (Wrestling) |
| 2012 London Olympics | Mary Kom (Boxing) |
| 2016 Rio Olympics | Sakshi Malik (Wrestling) |
| 2020 Tokyo Olympics | Bajrang Punia (Wrestling) |
Who was the first flag bearer of India in Olympics closing ceremony?
India’s first flag bearer at the closing ceremony of the Olympics was the Indian sprinter Purma Banerjee. He had the honour of carrying the Indian flag during the closing ceremony of the 1920 Antwerp Olympics, which also marked India’s debut at the Olympic Games.
Who is the flag bearer of India in Paris Olympics closing ceremony?
IOA President Dr PT Usha confirmed that shooter Manu Bhaker, who won two bronze medals for India and became the first athlete to clinch two medals in a single event, has been confirmed as the flag bearer for the Paris Olympics closing ceremony.
Also, the legendary Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who is set to retire after 18 years of service, has been confirmed for this honor. His name was announced just after the Indian men’s hockey team won their second-straight Olympic bronze medal by beating Spain. This will be the first time India sees two flag bearers in the closing ceremony.
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