By Maureen Boyle
(OSV News) — Swimmer Katie Ledecky, the most decorated American female Olympian ever, and gold medalist rower Nick Mead served as flag bearers leading Team USA at the Olympic closing ceremonies Aug. 11 in the Stade de France.
Team USA announced the two Catholic athletes as the flag bearers in an Aug. 8 post on X, formerly Twitter. “CLOSING U.S. OUT: 14x Olympic medalist @katieledecky and Olympic gold medalist Nick Mead will lead Team USA as flag bearers at the Closing Ceremony!”
“I am incredibly honored to represent Team USA as a flag bearer as we close our time in Paris together,” Ledecky, 27, said in a statement. “I am so proud of this team’s accomplishments in Paris and excited to celebrate with my teammates on Sunday.”
In late July and early August, Ledecky, a native of Bethesda, Maryland and a graduate of the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, swam into the history books, earning four more Olympic medals — two gold, one silver and one bronze — during several women’s freestyle swim races, bringing her total medal count to 14 won in four consecutive Olympic games.
Mead, 29, made history, too, “as a member of the first U.S. men’s four rowing team to win Olympic gold since 1960,” Team USA said in another post on X on Aug. 8. “Now, he’ll make even more history as the first rower to lead Team USA as one of our flag bearers at the Closing Ceremony.” Mead’s four-boat team won gold Aug. 1 by beating New Zealand by 0.85 seconds.
“I’ve got chills,” Mead said in a video posted on X by Team USA when he learned from teammate Justin Best that he’d been chosen to be a flag bearer alongside Ledecky. “That’s pretty cool. I’ve gotta get a haircut.” Best also presented him with a new Polo jacket to wear for his flag-bearing duties.
Mead’s parish church in New York City, Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, posted a message on its Facebook page: “Congratulations to parishioner and newly minted gold medalist Nick Mead who, along with Katie Ledecky, has been selected by Team USA to lead America’s Olympic team as a flag bearer at the closing ceremony on August 11th.”
Mead, a native of the Philadelphia area and a 2017 graduate of Princeton, is scheduled to be married at the church in October, according to an entry on The Knot website.
Catherine Ronan Karrels, the head of Ledecky’s alma mater, Stone Ridge, said, “I am so happy for Katie that she was selected by Team USA for this honor. As she carries the flag in closing ceremonies, our nation can take great pride not only in her athleticism, but in her leadership.”
“In addition to competing like a champion, I have been inspired while watching Katie serve in her role as one of the swim team captains during these games,” Karrels told the Catholic Standard, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington.
Karrels recently returned from attending the Paris Olympics where she cheered on not only Ledecky, but Phoebe Bacon and Erin Gemmell as well, who made up an unprecedented trio of Stone Ridge alumnae Olympian swimmers.
“The media captured so many moments of Katie cheering for teammates, supporting younger athletes, and celebrating with the community,” Karrels said. “Katie’s heart of gold matches her large collection of gold medals and accomplishments. And when the games are over and we all return to our list of ‘things to do,’ we can take inspiration from her to set goals, work hard, and persevere.”
On Aug. 8, Ledecky received a FaceTime phone call from her Team USA swimming teammate Bobby Finke, who told her she had been chosen by her fellow athletes to be one of the flag bearers, along with Mead.
On her Instagram page, Ledecky posted a video of her becoming emotional and holding back tears as she received the news from Finke and also was presented with a new Polo jacket to wear during the closing ceremony. “I can’t think of anyone better to lead us out of these Olympic games,” said Finke.
“Thank you, Team USA,” Ledecky said. “This is a huge honor. Can’t wait for closing ceremonies and it’s been an honor representing our country here in Paris. And I’m so proud to be a part of this team.”