Golfer Shane Lowry and athlete Sarah Lavin will carry Ireland’s flag at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
The high-profile pair have been named as joint flag-bearers for Friday’s ceremony, which will take place along a six-kilometre stretch of the River Seine.
Lowry, 37, the 2019 Open champion and Ryder Cup star, said on Team Ireland’s X account that being picked is a huge honour for him and his family.
𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐬 | Paris 2024
“It’s the greatest honour, I’ve ever been given.” 🥹💚
Sarah Lavin and Shane Lowry are our Team Ireland Flagbearers for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony ✨#TeamIreland | #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/nisrUyyjRj— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) July 26, 2024
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“Anybody who knows me knows how patriotic I am, how much I love Ireland, and how much I love playing for my country. I always wear the Irish flag with pride and to get to do something like this is something I’ll remember forever,” the Offaly man said.
Lavin, like Lowry, is also set to become a two-time Olympian, having competed in the 100m hurdles at Tokyo three years ago.
“It’s surreal to be honest,” said the 30-year-old. “The greatest honour I’ve ever been given. To carry the country’s flag, it’s just something you can’t prepare for.
“I’m so grateful to those who’ve trusted me and put me in this position. It’s emotional as well. There’s no point lying about that because, you know, there’s a lot of people you’re representing and be on the biggest sporting stage.
“It’s a testament, I guess, to all the hard work and how much you’ve dug deep, not just in the last 12 months but the entire Olympic cycle and in your entire career. I’m deeply touched and just so excited to get out there," Lavin, from Limerick, added.
The pair were unveiled at a media event on Friday morning at the Irish Cultural Centre in the heart of Paris.
For the first time in Olympic history, the Opening Ceremony will take place not in a stadium. More than 6,500 athletes in 85 boats will sail past the iconic monuments of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Notre Dame Cathedral.
The aquatic parade will involve 205 delegations travelling on 85 boats and is expected to last two and a half hours, culminating in a final show at the Trocadéro.
The unique nature of the parade means a restriction on the numbers taking part, and some athletes chose not to take part due to the proximity of their competitions.
Team Ireland is sharing boat number 28 with the team from Iraq and will be represented by approximately 20 athletes plus some of the support staff.
Amongst those on the boat representing Ireland at this evening's parade along the Seine are taekwondo athlete Jack Wooley, Donegal badminton player Rachael Darragh, showjumpers Daniel Coyle and Shane Sweetnan, and sailors Finn Lynch and Eve McMahon, alongside Chef de Mission for the Games Gavin Noble.
Further Team Ireland athletes from Canoe Slalom, Boxing and Diving will also be on board with members of the support staff for the opening ceremony.
