A speedskater from Florida who won Olympic gold in Beijing four years ago and a bobsledder from Maine making his second Olympic appearance will carry the U.S. flag at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy, officials announced Tuesday.
Erin Jackson, who won a gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Games and bobsledder Frank Del Duca, a pilot in bobsledding who competed in Beijing, were announced as the flag bearers by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee.
Del Duca and Jackson were also announced on the "TODAY" show on Tuesday morning.
They were chosen by a vote of their fellow Team USA athletes.
"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," USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland said. "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.”
Del Duca, 34, of Bethel, Maine, competed in the two-man and four-man competitions in Beijing but did not win a medal. The U.S. men last medaled in bobsled in 2014.
Del Duca is also an Army sergeant stationed in Lake Placid, New York, according to his bio with Team USA. He joined the Army in August 2019 and is part of its World Class Athlete Program.
He told the "TODAY" show that being the flag bearer is "something special" and that "having the support of our teammates and Team USA as a whole is the utmost honor.
“It was also quite the surprise," Del Duca said, according to the USOPC release.
"It's a story of wearing two uniforms and I'm grateful for the opportunity," he said of his Army experience on "TODAY." He said his experience in the Army and his experience on Team USA "complement each other" and that he "learned a lot in the Army that made him a better father and teammate."
"With the Olympic Games being held in Italy, it means even more. Nearly everyone in my family is of Italian descent," Del Duca told USOPC. "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.”
Jackson, who is 33 and was born and raised in Ocala, Florida, won the gold medal in the 500 meters at the Beijing Games, becoming the first Black woman from any country to win gold in any event at any Winter Olympics — to her surprise.
"It was just really surprising, I guess, because I felt like ‘How could that be?’” she told The Associated Press at the U.S. speedskating trials ahead of the Milan Cortina Games. “When you think about how many Winter Olympics we’ve had, I just thought it was really strange. I hope people can see my story and the stories of other Black women in winter sports and then, hopefully, we’ll have more coming up soon.”
After being chosen as the flag bearer for Team USA, Jackson said the role is a "tremendous honor," according to the USOPC release.
“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," Jackson said. "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.”
On the "TODAY" show Tuesday morning, Jackson said a teammate told her they had been "voting for you like crazy" to be the one to bear the flag.
The honor is "pretty overwhelming," she said, but that she is "really excited" and looking forward to having her teammates with her.
When asked whether she prefers chasing a gold medal or defending her title, she said she is "really excited to be the defending champion" and that she hopes to bring home another medal.
Jackson will be the eighth U.S. speedskater in history to earn the honor of Team USA flag bearer, while Del Duca will be the sixth bobsledder to carry the flag.
The opening ceremony is Friday. Competition gets underway Wednesday with curling action.
