Erin Jackson and Frank Del Duca Named U.S. Flagbearers for Milan-Cortina
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced Feb. 3 that Jackson and Del Duca will carry the U.S. flag at the Feb. 6 opening ceremony.
Overview
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee announced on Feb. 3, 2026 that speedskater Erin Jackson and Army Sgt. Frank Del Duca will carry the U.S. flag at the Milan-Cortina opening ceremony on Feb. 6, 2026.
Erin Jackson is the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal at a Winter Games, and Frank Del Duca is the first U.S. bobsledder to carry the flag in 70 years, the committee said.
Erin Jackson said in a statement that being chosen "is a tremendous honor" and represents her family, teammates and hometown.
The committee said Jackson is competing in her third Olympics and Del Duca in his second, and that teammates selected them by vote, records show.
Jackson and Del Duca will lead Team USA into the Feb. 6, 2026 opening ceremony across Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, and officials noted contingency plans after Elana Meyers Taylor missed Beijing's 2022 opening, records show.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present a straightforward, neutral announcement emphasizing factual milestones (Jackson as first Black woman to win individual Winter Olympic gold; Del Duca as first bobsledder in 70 years to be flagbearer). They rely on official statements and athlete quotes for human interest, avoid evaluative adjectives, and do not advance a partisan narrative or omit relevant perspectives.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Erin Jackson is a speedskater who became the first Black woman to win an individual gold medal in the Winter Olympics in the 500m event at Beijing 2022. She is competing in her third Olympics in Milan-Cortina 2026.
Frank Del Duca is an Army Sgt. and bobsledder competing in his second Olympics. He is the first U.S. bobsledder to carry the flag in 70 years.
They were selected by a vote of their Team USA teammates, as announced by the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Jackson and Del Duca will lead Team USA into the February 6, 2026, opening ceremony across Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, with contingency plans noted after Elana Meyers Taylor missed Beijing 2022's ceremony.
History
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