Olympic Games Paris 2024

Paris 2024 Olympics: Jessica Fox and Eddie Ockenden to be Australian flagbearers at Opening Ceremony

By Olympics.com
2 min|
Eddie Ockenden (left) and Jessica Fox (right) of Australia pose with a flag after being named flag-bearers ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on July 24, 2024 in Paris, France.

Picture by Getty Images

Canoeist Jessica Fox and hockey star Eddie Ockenden will be the Australian flagbearers at the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony on the River Seine on Saturday (AEST).

Fox will become the second canoeist to carry the Australian flag following Dennis Green at Munich 1972 while Ockenden is also the second Aussie hockey player to be handed the honour after Ric Charlesworth at Seoul 1988.

At Paris 2024, Fox is poised to become the first Australian to compete in canoe slalom at four Olympics. She returns to Paris 2024 aiming to secure her fifth Olympic medal.

The Australian canoeist won the gold medal in the women’s C1 event three years ago, bagged silver at London 2012 and bronze medals in K1 events at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. Fox will compete in both C1 and K1 events in Paris.

Ockenden, meanwhile, is set to become the first Australian hockey player to compete in five Olympics. His remarkable career is highlighted by a silver at Tokyo 2020 and bronze medals at Beijing 2008 and London 2012. He is also set to play his 450th game for the Kookaburras in Paris.

Previously, 25 Australians have carried the national flag at the Olympics, starting with George Parker at Antwerp 1920.

Notably, there were no Australian flagbearers at the 1896, 1900 and 1904 editions. During the 1908 and 1912 Games, Australia and New Zealand competed as Australasia, with flagbearers hailing from New Zealand.

The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony is poised to be the largest in Olympic history. Spectators will witness a 6km boat parade along the river Seine, starting from the Austerlitz Bridge and passing several iconic landmarks, including Parc Urbain La Concorde, Esplanade des Invalides, Grand Palais and Iéna Bridge. The parade will culminate at the Trocadéro for the ceremony’s finale.

As a host of Brisbane 2032, Australia will be third last in the Order of Nations, following only the USA (hosts of Los Angeles 2028) and France (host country). Approximately 80 Australian athletes are expected to participate in this Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony.

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