Tomorrow, July 26, is the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Summer time Olympics in Paris. And whereas all eyes can be watching the spectacularly embellished boats floating down the Seine River, we’ll even be protecting a lookout for this yr’s flag bearers for Workforce USA—a extremely regarded function on the Video games. This yr’s U.S. feminine flag bearer is tennis star Coco Gauff, who shouldn’t be solely the primary U.S. tennis participant to obtain the excellence, but in addition the youngest U.S. athlete to be chosen for the function at simply 20 years previous.
Gauff, who was chosen by way of a vote by her fellow Team USA athletes, will wave the celebs and stripes for the almost 600 American rivals at this yr’s Video games. She’ll be joined by the male flag bearer, basketball star LeBron James, and follows within the footsteps of past female athletes granted this function—together with velocity skater Brittney Bowe on the 2022 Beijing Video games and basketball participant Sue Hen on the 2020 Video games in Tokyo.
Listed here are 5 different information to know in regards to the tennis star as she preps to dominate on the Olympics and the U.S. Open tennis championship, which begins August 26.
1. That is her Olympic Video games debut.
Regardless of her many accolades, that is Gauff’s first time competing within the Olympics, in response to the USOPC.
2. Gauff is the youngest lady to win the U.S. Open since Serena Williams.
She gained in 2023 at simply 19 years previous. At present, she’s ranked No. 2 on this planet in girls’s singles tennis, per the Women’s Tennis Association.
3. She was named one in every of Time journal’s “Lady of the Yr” in 2024.
Gauff was recognized by Time for being a vocal chief and activist in America’s racial justice motion throughout the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when she was simply 16.
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4. She has a ardour for fashion and style.
Gauff has mentioned her love of fashion and the way she desires to include extra fashion into her profession someday, presumably along with her personal clothes line. She’s additionally partnered with well-liked manufacturers like American Eagle, New Balance (her clothes sponsor), and hair model Carol’s Daughter. She lately introduced her participation in American Eagle’s upcoming “Reside Your Life” back-to-school marketing campaign, and an upcoming product collaboration known as “Coco Gauff x American Eagle” that may launch August 15.
5. Paris is one in every of her favourite cities.
It is apt that Gauff’s first Olympic Video games can be held in her favourite metropolis. She previously told Roland Garros media crew, “I like the Eiffel Tower and love the meals. I just like the language. Paris is the primary metropolis I visited overseas. I visited once I was 10 and ever since then I cherished it.”
Coco Gauff and LeBron James will lead the U.S. groups throughout the Opening Ceremony on July 26 at 7:30 p.m. native time in Paris, which you’ll watch stay on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, USA Network, CNBC, and E!. For extra Olympics protection, observe together with Properly+Good’s Summer of Champions collection.
