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Team USA revealed that speed skater Erin Jackson and bobsledder Frank Del Duca have been selected as flag bearers for the opening ceremony at the 2026 Cortina Olympics in Milan.
Jackson was the first black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Olympics when she accomplished the feat at the 2022 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Del Duca is a sergeant in the US Army who is competing in his second Olympics.
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Erin Jackson raises an American flag after winning the gold medal in the speed skating women’s 500 meters at the Winter Olympics, Feb. 13, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
“To be chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,” Jackson said in a statement. “It’s a moment that reflects far more than one person – it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympic Games remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I’m proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage.”
Jackson will compete in the 500-meter event with Sarah Warren and the 1,000-meter race with Brittany Bowe.
Del Duca said he was surprised to get the nod as flag bearer.
Frank Del Duca, pilot for the fourth-place U.S. team, waves to fans after the 4-man bobsled event at the World Championships on March 15, 2025, in Lake Placid, New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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“It means a lot. It really does. It means a lot,” he said. “It would be cool anywhere, but the fact that it’s in Italy, I think our family is just that much more excited. My grandparents aren’t around anymore, but they always have roots in Italy and the U.S., and they said the perfect day would be the Italians and the Americans fighting for gold. So, yeah, this is cool. It’s a cool opportunity.”
Del Duca was fourth in the two-man and four-man at last season’s world championships in New York. He finished 13th in both races in his Olympic debut four years ago.
People take photos in front of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics rings in Cortina D’Ampezzo, November 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
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The Winter Olympics opening ceremony begins on Friday.
