Famed for grabbing a Yorkshire flag in the closing stages of any race where he can lay his hands on one, double Commonwealth Games gold medallist Alistair Brownlee will now carry the England flag into the Gold Coast 2018 opening ceremony on Wednesday night.
The proud Yorkshireman normally teams the white rose of Yorkshire with the Union flag when crossing the line but this time, competing for Team England, he will proudly be flying the cross of St George.
Brownlee comes into the Games as the defending men’s individual and mixed team triathlon champion.
And the 29-year-old could not hide his pride at being named Team England’s flag bearer at his second Commonwealth Games.
“It is a massive honour to carry the flag for England at the Commonwealth Games,” said the two-time Olympic champion.
"I can’t imagine what it will feel like walking into the stadium with the cross of St George, alongside all the other Commonwealth nations.
“It is certainly going to be up there as one of the moments in my career that I will always remember.”
Wednesday’s opening ceremony will be held at the Carrara Stadium, which will then go on to host the athletics events of the XXI Commonwealth Games.
Due to start at 7pm Australian time, 10am UK time, Brownlee will parade the English flag alongside the 70 other Commonwealth nations and territories.
Fellow Olympic medallist Eilidh Doyle will carry the Saltire for Scotland, with the 400m hurdler set to be Scotland’s first ever female flagbearer.
The 31-year-old won double silver at her home Games of Glasgow 2014, before winning 4x400m relay medals for Great Britain at both the Rio Olympic and London World Championships in the past two years.
“This is just such a huge honour. I was really chuffed to have been nominated but to actually be voted to carry the flag is something else,” said Doyle.
“It is also very special that I will be the first female to carry the flag. I am very proud to represent women in sport and I am a very patriotic Scot; so to step out and wave the Saltire will be an amazing feeling.” And fellow Olympic medallist Jazz Carlin will do the honours for Wales, with the double Olympic silver medallist hoping to defend her 800m freestyle gold from Glasgow 2014.
"I always feel as though it's an honour to compete for Wales so this has definitely kick-started my experience here in Gold Coast," she said.
"Training has been going really well. This will be my fourth Commonwealth Games so I'm starting to feel like one of the older ones now!
"The older you get, the more you appreciate the experience of being at the Games. I have fond memories of Glasgow, which was an incredible event. Obviously like any competition, I'm aiming for a podium." The Northern Ireland flag will be carried by Caroline O'Hanlon, the captain of their netball team. Sportsbeat 2018