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U.S. Olympic flag-bearers: LeBron, Gauff, Ledecky, Mead

Katie Ledecky will serve as one of the U.S. flag-bearers during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

During opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympics, each country's team is led into the event space by an athlete or delegation representative bearing his or her country's flag. On the U.S. side, the flag-bearer is usually chosen by fellow athletes and/or team captains. The practice of carrying flags began with the 1908 Summer Games in London.

LeBron James and Coco Gauff received the U.S. flag-bearer honor for the opening ceremony at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris. Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead received the honor for the Paris closing ceremony. Here is a rundown of other U.S. flag-bearers throughout Olympics history:

2024 Paris

Opening: LeBron James, basketball; Coco Gauff, tennis

Closing: Katie Ledecky, swimming; Nick Mead, rowing

2022 Beijing

Opening: Josh Shuster, curling; Brittany Bowe, speed skating

Closing: Elana Meyers Taylor, bobsled

2020 Tokyo

Opening: Sue Bird, basketball; Eddy Alvarez, baseball

Closing: Kara Winger, track and field

2018 Pyeonchang

Opening: Erin Hamlin, luge

Closing: Jessie Diggins, cross-country skiing

2016 Rio

Opening: Michael Phelps, swimming

Closing: Simone Biles, gymnastics

2014 Sochi

Opening: Todd Lodwick, Nordic combined

Closing: Julie Chu, hockey

2012 London

Opening: Mariel Zagunis, fencing

Closing: Bryshon Nellum, track and field

2010 Vancouver

Opening: Mark Grimmette, luge

Closing: Bill Demong, Nordic combined

2008 Beijing

Opening: Lopez Lomong, track and field

Closing: Khatuna Lorig, archery

2006 Torino

Opening: Chris Witty, speed skating

Closing: Joey Cheek, speed skating

2004 Athens

Opening: Dawn Staley, basketball

Closing: Mia Hamm, soccer

2002 Salt Lake City

Opening: Amy Peterson, short track speed skating

Closing: Brian Shimer, bobsled

2000 Sydney

Opening: Cliff Meidl, flatwater canoeing

Closing: Rulon Gardner, wrestling

1998 Nagano

Opening: Eric Flaim, speed skating

Closing: Cammi Granato, hockey

1996 Atlanta

Opening: Bruce Baumgartner, wrestling

Closing: Michael Matz, equestrian

1994 Lillehammer

Opening: Cammy Myler, luge

Closing: Dan Jansen, speed skating

1992 Barcelona

Opening: Francie Larrieu Smith, track and field

Closing: Peter Westbrook, fencing

1988 Seoul

Opening: Evelyn Ashford, track and field

1988 Calgary

Opening: Lyle Nelson, biathlon

1984 Los Angeles

Opening: Ed Burke, track and field

1984 Sarajevo

Opening: Frank Masley, luge

1980 Lake Placid

Opening: Scott Hamilton, figure skating

1976 Montreal

Opening: Gary Hall, swimming

1976 Innsbruck

Opening: Cindy Nelson, alpine skiing

1972 Munich

Opening: Olga Fikotova Connolly, track and field

1972 Sapporo

Opening: Dianne Holum, speed skating

1968 Mexico City

Opening: Janice Lee Romary, fencing

1968 Grenoble

Opening: Terry McDermott, speed skating

1964 Tokyo

Opening: Parry O'Brien, track and field

1964 Innsbruck

Opening: Bill Disney, speed skating

1960 Rome

Opening: Rafer Johnson, track and field

1960 Squaw Valley

Opening: Don McDermott, speed skating

1956 Melbourne

Opening: Norman Armitage, fencing

1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo

Opening: James Bickford, bobsled

1952 Helsinki

Opening: Norman Armitage, fencing

1952 Oslo

Opening: James Bickford, bobsled

1948 London

Opening: Ralph Craig, track and field

1948 St. Moritz

Opening: Jack Heaton, skeleton

1936 Berlin

Opening: Alfred Jochim, gymnastics

1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Opening: Rolf Monsen, cross-country skiing

1932 Los Angeles

Opening: F. Morgan Taylor, track and field

1932 Lake Placid

Opening: Billy Fiske, bobsled

1928 Amsterdam

Opening: L. Clarence "Bud" Houser, track and field

1928 St. Moritz

Opening: Godfrey Dewey, president of Lake Placid Organizing Committee

1924 Paris

Opening: Pat McDonald, track and field

1924 Chamonix

Opening: Taffy Abel, hockey

1920 Antwerp

Opening: Pat McDonald, track and field

1912 Stockholm

Opening: George Bonhag, track and field

1908 London

Opening: Ralph Rose, track and field

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