Greek Flag Bearers for Paris Named

Greek Flag Bearers for Paris Named

by Philip Barker

The Parade of nations at Paris 2024 is set to be led by two Greek flag bearers: basketball Star Giannis Antetokounmpo and walker Antigoni Drisbioti.

Since 1928, Greece has always had a place of honour in recognition of the Games of antiquity held in Ancient Greece.

“From the beginning together with the Chef de Mission Petros Synadinos we proposed that there should be two Flag Bearers, there was great debate and finally the International Olympic Committee’s mandate of two Flag Bearers was followed, following the spirit of the times and respecting the effort for gender equality,” HOC President Spyros Capralos said.

Antetokounmpo plays centre for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA and has twice been named Most Valuable Player.

“In Giannis there was unanimity, but in the women, a vote was taken between particularly worthy champions who have honoured Greece,” Capralos explained.

Drisbiotis was elected after a poll featuring tennis player Maria Sakkari, World champion artistic swimmer Evangelia Platanioti, and water polo player Margarita Pleuritou.

Drisbiotis, who won the 20km European gold in 2022,  had been the penultimate Torch Bearer on French soil at the handover in Athens back in April.

“I am sure that they will lift our country high,” Capralos insisted.

Three years ago in Tokyo, Greece selected shooting gold medallist Anna Korakaki and gymnast Eleftherios Petrounias as their first joint flag bearers.

The 1924 Paris Games were the last in which Greece did not lead the parade.

The teams marched in strict alphabetical order in French, so Greece appeared after Great Britain and before Haiti. Their flag was carried by Christos Vrettos who appeared in the shot put.

High jumper Antonios Karyofyllis became the first Greek athlete to lead a parade when he did so at the Amsterdam Olympics in 1928.

In 2004, when Athens hosted the Games, weightlifting superstar Pyrros Dimas was chosen to carry the Greek flag at the start of the athletes procession.

The rest of the team did not enter until the final moments of the parade.

For 2024, an HOC statement insisted that the competition schedule had been consulted before the selection of Flag bearers was made.

The Greek men’s basketball team open their campaign on the evening of Saturday July 27 against Canada in Lille.

The first of the race walks is scheduled for August 1.