Speed Skating - Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Day 9
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Olympic champion speed skater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca will represent Team USA as flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina Winter Games. The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced Tuesday the co-flag bearers, who were chosen by fellow Team USA athletes through a voting process. They will become the second American duo to share the honor at the Winter Olympics.

Jackson is the ninth speed skater in U.S. history to bear the flag and follows Brittany Bowe, who replaced bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor to open the 2022 Beijing Winter Games after the latter tested positive for COVID-19. Del Duca is the sixth bobsledder selected for the role and, because of Meyers Taylor's absence four years ago, will be the first in 70 years to carry the flag at an opening ceremony.

"We are honored to announce Erin Jackson and Frank Del Duca as the flag bearers for Team USA at the Opening Ceremony," USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said in a release. "Being chosen by their fellow athletes is a powerful reflection of the respect they've earned through their leadership, commitment, and the way they represent Team USA every day. Erin and Frank embody the values of excellence and unity that define our Olympic Team, and we're proud to have them lead Team USA onto the world stage."

This is the second consecutive Winter Olympics in which Team USA selected two flag bearers.

The Opening Ceremony will air live in the United States at 2 p.m. ET on Friday.

Who is Erin Jackson?

Jackson, 33, made her Winter Olympic debut in 2018 at the Pyeongchang Winter Games. Her breakthrough came four years later when she became the first Black American woman to medal in speed skating and the first Black woman to win gold in an individual sport. Her 500m speed skating victory at the Beijing Winter Games snapped a two-decade drought for American women atop the speed skating podium.

"Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor," Jackson said. "It's a moment that reflects far more than one individual -- it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympics remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I'm proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage."

Jackson hails from Ocala, Florida, and graduated from the University of Florida. The longtime roller skater had just four months of experience in speed skating on ice when she qualified for the 2018 Winter Olympics. Since then, she has accumulated six medals on the world stage.

Who is Frank Del Duca?

Del Duca, 34, will make his second Winter Olympic appearance this month after debuting at the Beijing Games. The bobsled pilot finished 13th in the two-man and four-man competitions in 2022.

"Being flag bearer for Team USA is an incredible honor," Del Duca said. "It was also quite the surprise. I'm grateful for the support from my teammates, coaches and staff, Team USA, U.S. Army WCAP, family and friends, and everyone who has helped me on this journey. With the Olympic Games being held in Italy, it means even more. Nearly everyone in my family is of Italian descent.

"There is no greater honor than leading Team USA into the Opening Ceremony in Italy. It feels like a bridge between my family's heritage, and the country I'm so proud to serve. I know my grandfather is watching over me saying, "Hey, Frangesch, way to go kid," and would be so proud."

After winning the high school state championship in alpine skiing, the Bethel, Maine, native walked on to the University of Maine track and field team. He attended a bobsled combine after college and joined the U.S. Bobsled team as a push athlete, and after missing out on a selection for the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team, he moved to the pilot position.