Olivia Weedon will have the honour of leading Team GB at the Opening Ceremony of the Sarajevo and East Sarajevo 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) after being announced as Flagbearer.
Weedon, who competes as a short track speed skater, was selected by her fellow athletes for the role after best displaying the One Team GB values at the pre-event Team Assembly.
The Hounslow-born skater will follow in her uncle Jon Eley’s footsteps, after he carried the Union Flag into the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.
Weedon will compete in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m, as well as the 3000m Mixed Relay alongside her teammates Theo Collins, Sophie Robertson and Ollie Rowe.
Sunday’s Opening Ceremony will take place at the Koševo Stadium in Sarajevo, with 911 athletes from 46 countries expected to march.
The Games run between the 9th – 16th February and Team GB will be represented by 27 athletes across seven of the eight disciplines.
Lizzy Yarnold, Team GB’s most successful ever Winter Olympian, participated in the pre-Games Team Assembly as an Athlete Ambassador, sharing her expertise and multi-sport experiences with the team ahead of their departure. Today marks a year since Yarnold carried the flag into the PyeongChang 2018 Opening Ceremony, with her insight into the experience proving invaluable to all athletes.
“I’m pretty shocked to have been chosen, but I’m also very excited because I can actually present Team GB to everyone, said 16-year-old Weedon.
“It’s such a massive honour, just to be able to walk out first with the flag. I can’t even imagine what it’s going to feel like.
“Lizzy Yarnold was telling us all about her experience and by listening to her - I can’t wait for that to be me.
“I’ll probably give my uncle a quick call and ask him for some tips. Everyone has said to try and hold the flag with one hand but I’m not sure that’s going to be a good idea, but I’ll definitely ask him how not to drop it!”
Lewis Coggins, Team GB’s Chef de Mission for Sarajevo 2019 said, “Being voted by your peers as Flagbearer is a huge honour, so Olivia should be extremely proud to lead the team out at this Sunday’s Opening Ceremony and I hope she enjoys the experience.
“The team arrived in the Athlete Village today and have settled into the environment very quickly. We look forward to starting with the sport on Monday in what hopefully is a successful Games for Team GB.”
Team GB at Sarajevo 2019:
Alpine Skiing:
Charles Rankin – aged 17 from Bonnyrigg, Midlothian
Daisi Daniels – aged 16 from Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Edouard Guigonnet – aged 17 from Les Menuires, France
Oliver Weeks – aged 17 from Leamington Spa, Warwickshire
Olivia Foster – aged 18 from Leatherhead, Surrey
Owen Vinter – aged 17 from Glasgow, Scotland
Sarah Woodward – aged 17 from North Warnborough, Hampshire
Victoria Palla – aged 18 from Moedling, Austria
Biathlon:
Shawna Pendry – aged 16 from Font Romeu, France
Cross-Country Skiing:
Alexander Franks-Penty – aged 17 from Hvalsted, Norway
Beinn Horsfall – aged 17 from Quaix-en-Chartreuse, France
Curling:
Angus Bryce – aged 16 from Kelso, Scotland
Hamish Gallacher – aged 16 from Sanquhar, Scotland
Inca Maguire – aged 15 from Forfar, Scotland
Robyn Munro – aged 15 from Stranraer, Scotland
Figure Skating:
Genevieve Sommerville – aged 16 from Derby, Derbyshire
Joseph Zakipour – aged 16 from Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
Short Track Speed Skating:
Olivia Weedon – aged 16 from Twickenham, London
Ollie Rowe – aged 15 from Ashford, Middlesex
Sophie Robertson – aged 15 from Newark, Nottinghamshire
Theo Collins – aged 15 from Guildford, Surrey
Snowboarding:
Ethan Smith – aged 15 from Southampton, Hampshire
Gabe Adams – aged 15 from Bridgnorth, Shropshire
Lara Cabrera-Myram – aged 15 from Houston, Scotland
Leon Drynan – aged 16 from Lochwinnoch, Scotland
Lewis Moore – aged 15 from Glasgow, Scotland
Luca Lane-Hopkins – aged 16 from Swansea, Wales