By Dr. Buky Chass, Swimming World Israeli Correspondent
Every four years every country turns its attention to a question: Who will carry the National flag at the Olympic opening ceremonies? Countries take surveys among the sport enthusiasts to try to guess who will be the person or try to influence the decision makers on the Olympic Committee.
I got my swimming push in the USA in 1966 at a summer swim camp at Yale University. I was coached for six weeks by the late and great Bob Kiphuth. Since then, I have been the number one supporter and fan of American Swimming!
It is this time again and I think I have the perfect person to carry the American flag at the opening ceremonies in Rio on August 5, 2016. It should be the one and only, the greatest Olympic athlete of all time, Michael Phelps…that is, of course, if he makes the U.S. Team at the Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska.
Assuming he will, then there is no better and maybe will never be a more right person for the task. If you ask me I do not understand (maybe I do not have all the necessary info) why he did not carry the flag at the London Games in 2012? Where in the world is there an athlete who has won eight gold medals at one Olympic Games (Beijing) and not carried the flag at the following Games? Why? How come?
Well, this is history. What is done is done; we can not change the past. But, we can sure change or form the future. And, this future is fast approaching and the swimming family in the USA (and in my opinion, around the world) should rally and say as loud as we can, “Michael Phelps should be the flag bearer at the Rio Olympic opening ceremonies!”
Why?
1. He is the greatest Olympic athlete in the 120-year history of the Games.
2. He is the greatest swimmer ever.
3. He will be taking part in his fifth successive Olympic Games– a feat not done by many or any other swimmer before (Dara Torres did not participate in five successive).
4. The sport of swimming in the USA has only had one swimmer carry the flag (Gary Hall Sr. in 1976) even though the swimming is always top ranking in the Olympic medal haul for the USA. Swimming deserves its second representative.
5. He is the most recognized swimmer around the world and his receiving this honor will give the sport of swimming its well deserved respect in the eyes of all sport lovers around the world.
All the little mishaps during his 16-year Olympic career do not take anything away from Michael Phelps’s greatness. USA Swimming, swimmers, and fans should rally around MP and put all the weight they can forward to make it happen.
Nothing is ever final in our world of swimming (Dara Torres has proved it time and again), but I think that this will be MP’s last go around at the Olympics. Let us give him this honor in his last appearance or we will miss a great opportunity to say it in the loudest voice we can:
“THANK YOU, MP, FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE SPORT OF SWIMMING– IN THE USA, IN THE WORLD, AND AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES.”
There is no one more deserving!
The above commentary is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
However, the flag is actually pretty heavy and all the swimmers are on taper and should not be carrying heavy things for potentially an hour+.
This is an interesting point. You sure about the heaviness of the flag?
Natalie Coughlin. She’s been a US national team captain, which is more than Phelps has been. She deserves this honor.
I couldn’t agree more! Coughlin is such a fantastic role model for the young athletes on Team USA. She is so composed, inspirational, experienced and of course, talented. She has consistently been team captain and 2016 could be her fourth Olympics. She totally deserves one of the flag bearing positions (opening or closing)!
My understanding is that Phelps did not march in the opening ceremony in the last 2 Olympics (not sure about the first two) because he was swimming the 400IM the next day. That would explain why he would not have been the flag bearer.
The reason why phelps might not do it is that swimming events usually start the next day. So many swimmers don’t even attend opening ceremonies because they have to stand for hours. That’s a great way to ruin a taper and 4 years of training. A gold medal isn’t worth opening ceremonies. That said I would still like the OC to have phelps as number one choice.
Exactly. I’m surprised so many people commenting here who are swimmers (I assume) would even suggest that a swimmer that is competing in the Games would be the flag bearer. When I first read the article I thought to myself, “I thought he (the author) said liked Phelps, and he wants to put him through that before he competes?” Perhaps next Olympics when he is not competing anymore.
no other realchoice, is there?
natalie. class act, hope she makes it again
Phelps!! Hands down.
Phelps!
Phelps!
Katie.
Phelps
Missy Franklin
A veteran
Phelps
MP!
Austin Surhoff no doubt.
Phelps!!!!!!!!!!
Dana Vollmer – awesome swimmer and mum , or Michael Phelps obviously .
Or perhaps on a completely different angle and slightly sarcastic of me what about Donald Trump ? That way you can get rid of him and leave him in Brazil as a goodwill gesture ? ???
Nemo
As a few commentators have noted, the swimmers usually don’t attend opening ceremonies because the swimming starts the next day, and standing around for hours is a good way to blow your taper. But, the next time the USA gets its bribes to the IOC together properly and the Olympics is held here, Michael Phelps should light the Olympic flame.
MP absolutely.
Michael Phelps.
Phelps
Phelps
Lt Brad Snyder USN( seal navy swimmer)… Guess he can’t as he’s on Paralympic team…
Phelps! !
Michael Phelps the Greatest Olympian Athletes of all time ????
me
Serena Williams. Phelps has far more medals, but in swimming you can get a medal for every event. In tennis you have to beat seven people for one medal. Still she has three Olympic gold medals in doubles and one gold in singles. She’s considered the greatest female tennis player of all time. Phelps is no longer No. 1 in his sport. Serena is. And his two DUIs sort of rule him out too.
Tony Azevedo – 5 time Olympian, Men’s Water Polo…. He will be the first Water Polo player to do this. He was born in Rio de Janeiro, grew up in Long Beach, CA and he has been the consummate professional athlete who does not get the same attention in this aquatic sport as what you have in pool swimming.
You want someone who represents America which is the true melting pot of the world. An American born in the host city who will be competing for his 5th Games seems like that sort of fit.