Kara Winger selected as Team USA’s Closing Ceremony flag bearer for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

TOKYO - The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee today announced that four-time Olympian Kara Winger was selected to lead the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team into the Closing Ceremony as flag bearer on Sunday, Aug. 8 at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo.

Chosen by a vote of fellow Team USA athletes, Winger is the fourth track and field athlete to lead the U.S. delegation in the Closing Ceremony and the first since 2012 when Bryshon Nellum carried the flag. 

“It’s an incredible honor to be selected by my fellow Team USA athletes to be our flag bearer,” said Winger. “There’s no better way to conclude my career as an Olympic athlete than to lead the U.S. team into the Closing Ceremony. On behalf of Team USA, we want to thank the Tokyo Organizing Committee, the people of Tokyo and the country of Japan for hosting these Olympic Games and bringing the world back together again through sport.”

One of two captains for the U.S. track and field team in Tokyo, Winger placed 17th in the javelin competition in Tokyo, marking her second-best career performance at an Olympic Games. 

NBC Olympics will provide full coverage of the Closing Ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics this Sunday, Aug. 8, culminating on NBC with the primetime presentation of the Closing Ceremony at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. Peacock, NBC Olympics.com, and the NBC Sports app will provide live coverage of the Closing Ceremony on Sunday at 7 a.m. ET/4 a.m. PT.

Team USA fans can continue to watch U.S. athletes as the Paralympic Games begin Aug. 24 and conclude Sept. 6. NBCUniversal will showcase an unprecedented 1,200 hours of Paralympic programming of the Tokyo Games presented by Toyota including the network’s first-ever primetime broadcasts, more than 200 hours of TV coverage among NBC, NBCSN and the Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, and over 1,000 hours of live streaming across 19 sports on NBC’s digital platforms. The coverage showcases the network’s continued commitment for the Paralympic Movement, which has grown from 70 hours for Rio 2016 and 5.5 total hours for London 2012.

U.S Olympic Team Flag Bearers – Closing Ceremony (summer only)

1952     Bob Kurland, Basketball             
1956     Pete Rademacher, Boxing       
1960     Mike Troy, Swimming                  
1964     Don Schollander, Swimming        
1968     Al Oerter, Track and Field              
1972     Mike Burton, Swimming
1976     Willie Davenport, Track and Field         
1984     Jeff Blatnick Wrestling 
1988     Terry Schroeder, Water Polo
1992     Peter Westbrook, Fencing 
1996     Michael Matz, Equestrian                 
2000     Rulon Gardner, Wrestling             
2004     Mia Hamm, Soccer                
2008     Khatuna Lorig, Archery               
2012     Bryshon Nellum, Track and Field 
2016     Simone Biles, Gymnastics
2020     Kara Winger, Track and Field