2010 Winter Olympics national flag bearers
During the Parade of Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, held beginning at 6:00 PM PST on February 12, 2010, 82 athletes bearing the flags of their respective nations led their national delegations as they paraded into BC Place Stadium in the host city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[1]
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Athletes entered the stadium in an order dictated by tradition. As the originator of the Olympics, Greece entered first. Canadian delegates entered last, representing the host nation. The names of the nations were announced first in French and followed by English, the official languages of the Olympics, which also happened to be the official languages of the host nation. The nations entered in alphabetic order of their country names in English because it is the more dominant of the two languages in Vancouver and in the province of British Columbia.
Delegations from North Korea and South Korea marched in separate delegations, unlike in the 2006 Winter Olympics when they marched together.[2]
Of the flag-bearers who led their respective delegations, all but one were athletes, the exception being Fuad Guliyev, a skating official from Azerbaijan. The sport which was most represented among the flag-bearers was alpine skiing, as alpine skiers led 26 delegations. Only one delegation was led by a short track speed skater, Hong Kong, led by Han Yue Shueng.[1] Marjan Kalhor, an alpine skier and the flag-bearer for Iran, was both the first female flag bearer from her country and the first female athlete from her country to participate in the Winter Olympics.[2] It was erroneously pointed out by a Canadian TV commentator that Tomomi Okazaki was the first female flag bearer for Japan. This title goes to Seiko Hashimoto in Calgary 1988. Other prominent flag bearers included Canadian speed skater and five-time Olympian Clara Hughes, American luger Mark Grimmette, who had helped carry the American flag during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and Czech hockey player Jaromír Jágr. Hughes is the only Olympian ever to win multiple medals at both the Summer and Winter Olympics.[3]
Iason Abramashvili, flag bearer for Georgia, along with the other members of his delegation, wore black armbands during the march and received a standing ovation in memory of Nodar Kumaritashvili, a Georgian luger who was killed in an accident during a training run earlier in the day.[4]
Parade of Nations
![](../I/m/2010_Olympic_Winter_Games_Opening_Ceremony_-_Czech_Republic_entering_cropped.jpg)
![](../I/m/2010_Olympic_Winter_Games_Opening_Ceremony_-_Finland_entering.jpg)
![](../I/m/2010_Olympic_Winter_Games_Opening_Ceremony_-_Georgia_entering_cropped.jpg)
![](../I/m/2010_Olympic_Winter_Games_Opening_Ceremony_-_Germany_entering_cropped.jpg)
![](../I/m/2010_Olympic_Winter_Games_Opening_Ceremony_-_Great_Britain_entering_cropped.jpg)
![](../I/m/2010_Olympic_Winter_Games_Opening_Ceremony_-_Russia_entering_cropped.jpg)
![](../I/m/Slovenia_at_2010_Winter_Olympics_opening_ceremony.jpg)
![](../I/m/2010_Olympic_Winter_Games_Opening_Ceremony_-_Sweden_entering_cropped.jpg)
![](../I/m/Clara_Hughes_with_Canadian_flag.jpg)
- Kudratov carried the flag even though he wasn't scheduled to compete.
See also
- 2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony flag bearers
- 2010 Winter Paralympics national flag bearers
- 2008 Summer Olympics national flag bearers
References
Specific
- "Complete list of 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic flag-bearers". The Vancouver Sun. 2010-02-12. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
- Chase, Chris (2010-02-11). "Eleven things to watch for during Vancouver's Opening Ceremony". Yahoo! Sports. Yahoo!. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
- Kaufman, Michelle (2010-02-13). "Olympics opening ceremony dedicated to Georgian luger". McClatchy. Archived from the original on 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
- Shipley, Amy (2010-02-13). "Vancouver Games get off to somber start following luger's death". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-02-13.
- Greek Olympic Committee naming Tsakiris being named flagbearer for 2010 Winter Olympics. Archived 2010-02-15 at the Wayback Machine - accessed 11 February 2010.
- Tarroch named 2010 flagbearer. - accessed 11 February 2010.
- "Google Translate: Argentine Olympic Olympic Committee". Translate.google.ca. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- ":: Armenpress ::". google.com. 2010-02-02. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- Marsi (2004-02-26). "The Red And White Chronicles: Breaking News!". Marsiatthegames.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Skiers compete for Azerbaijan in winter Olympics". News.Az. Archived from the original on 2010-02-13. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Ice Hockey News - 2010 Winter Olympics - CTV Olympics". Ctvolympics.ca. 2010-02-10. Archived from the original on 13 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- News of van der Perren named flagbearer. Archived March 3, 2012, at the Wayback Machine(in Dutch) - accessed 11 February 2010.
- "The Royal Gazette". The Royal Gazette. 2010-02-09. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- Vancouver Sun (2010-01-29). "Complete list of 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic flag-bearers". Vancouversun.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Bulgaria Vancouver Olympic Team Given President Send Off: Bulgaria Vancouver Olympic Team Given Presidential Send Off - Novinite.com - Sofia News Agency". Novinite.com. 2010-02-04. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- 4 February 2010 Estonian Olympic Committee announcement of Lessing named flagbearer for the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Archived 2010-02-12 at the Wayback Machine(in Estonian) - accessed 11 February 2010.
- "Leijonien mitalirohmu kantaa Suomen lippua avajaisissa | Jääkiekko | Lajit | Vancouver 2010 | YLE Urheilu". yle.fi. Archived from the original on 2010-02-13. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Google Translate". Translate.google.ca. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- French Olympic Committee announcement of Defranse named flagbearer.(in French) - accessed 11 February 2010.
- Lange named flagbearer for German team (in German) - accessed 11 February 2010.
- "Shelley Rudman to carry GB flag at Vancouver 2010 opening ceremony". The Guardian. London. 12 February 2010. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2010.
- "Sebestyén viszi az olimpián a lobogót". Blikk.hu. 2010-01-06. Archived from the original on 2010-02-11. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- Shiva Keshavan to be flag-bearer of 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, February 12, 2010
- Irish Olympic Committee 9 February 2010 announcement of Aoife Hoey selected as flagbearer for the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony. - accessed 11 February 2010. Archived February 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- "XXI Winter Olympic Games – Vancouver, Canada, Feb 12-28 | Israel Ice Skating Federation". Iisf.org.il. 2010-02-04. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- Gallery of Di Centa being named flagbearer for Italy at 2010 Opening Ceremony.(in Italian) - accessed 11 February 2010.
- Japanese Winter Olympic delegation launched
- Archived June 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- "MARTINS DUKURS BŪS KAROGNESĒJS OLIMPISKO SPĒĻU ATKLĀŠANAS CEREMONIJĀ" (in Latvian). 11 February 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2010. Latvian Olympic Committee article on Martins Dukurs named flagbearer for the 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony.
- "Utah skier heads to Olympics for third time". The Daily Utah Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2010-02-14. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Topics > Liechtenstein". USA Today. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2010.
- Social Print this story. "Moldovan Olympic competitors head for Vancouver - Moldova Azi". Azi.md. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- Beck draagt Nederlandse vlag
- "More penalties likely for a while yet". Radio New Zealand. 13 February 2010. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
- "Jakobsen blir norsk flaggbærer | TV 2 Sporten". Msn.tv2sporten.no. Archived from the original on 2010-02-12. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- Brewer, Jerry (2010-02-03). "Jerry Brewer | Peruvian cross-country skier Roberto Carcelén reaches Olympic dream | Seattle Times Newspaper". Seattletimes.nwsource.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Polski Komitet Olimpijski". Olimpijski.pl. 2010-02-09. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Alexei Morozov will carry Russian flag at the Olympics opening ceremony - Russia at Olympics in Vancouver news, interviews, quotes, videos". Russianhockeyfans.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Google Translate: The cons of condolences for the death of Georgian in Vancouver Kumaritashvili". Translate.google.ca. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Google Translate: Great atmosphere in the Serbian team". Translate.google.ca. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Sport - Lambiel porte-drapeau à Vancouver". tsr.ch. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Anadolu Ajansı - SIX ATHLETES REPRESENT TURKEY IN VANCOUVER 2010 WINTER GAMES". Aa.com.tr. Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- "Lilia Ludan to carry Ukraine's flag during 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in Vancouver / News / NRCU". Nrcu.gov.ua. Archived from the original on 2012-10-15. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
- USALuge.org article on Grimette carrying the US flag for the 2010 Winter Olympics. - accessed 11 February 2010.
- Craig, Lindsey (2010-01-30). "Vancouver Now - Hughes named Canada's Olympic flag-bearer". Cbc.ca. Archived from the original on 2 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-14.
General
- "Complete list of 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic flag-bearers". The Vancouver Sun. 2010-02-12. Archived from the original on 2010-02-16. Retrieved 2010-02-13.