Todd Lodwick Is Olympics Flagbearer For USA In Sochi Opening Ceremony
From the archive: published Feb 5, 2014, 12 years ago. Details may have changed since.
Todd Lodwick, the first American to compete in six Winter Olympics, has been chosen to be the United States flagbearer at the Sochi Games opening ceremony taking place on Friday in Russia, the US announced on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old veteran from Steamboat Springs, Colorado, was part of the US Olympic team that won the silver medal at the 2010 Vancouver Games and was selected due to his longevity, in spite of the relative low profile nature of Nordic skiing.
In the Nordic combined athletes compete in both the ski jump and cross-country skiing events.
Todd Lodwick said in a statement:
“Going into my sixth Olympic Games, it feels like I have already won a medal, and to cap off my career by representing the United States of America and Team USA is truly a privilege.”
Todd Lodwick made his Olympic debut when he was 17-years-old at the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer and after retiring from the sport briefly in 2006 — during which time he worked in real estate to make a living — he returned to claim two world championship titles in 2009, followed by his first Olympic medal in Vancouver.
The flagbearer is selected by the team captains of each sport that is represented at the Sochi Olympics.
From the reaction on Twitter, everyone seems to be pleased with Todd Lodwick’s selection as the Olympics flagbearer for the United States:
How amazing is Todd Lodwick! 6 time Olympian and #TeamUSA flag bearer for #Sochi2014 #OpeningCeremony ONE MORE DAY! pic.twitter.com/5uhAl6IXMF
— Maggie Steffens (@maggiesteffens) February 5, 2014
Fellow Olympians honor Todd Lodwick as flag bearer. Record 6th Winter Olympics #believeinUS @Sochi2014 @USOlympic pic.twitter.com/8tsV3ScCCY
— usskiteam (@usskiteam) February 5, 2014
Congrats to six-time Olympian Todd Lodwick on being named #?TeamUSA’s flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony in #Sochi! pic.twitter.com/2oMrPGMw3Y
— Crash MacDuff??? (@Crash_MacDuff) February 5, 2014
U.S. #Nordiccombined skier Todd Lodwick will be going to his 6th Winter Games. pic.twitter.com/JvFE5Hz9cY
— Greg Ferraro (@GFerraroNBC) January 22, 2014
It is customary that the honor of carrying the flag goes to a veteran athlete or one who has overcome adversity.
Todd Lodwick follows the most recent Americans to carry the flag in the Winter Olympics: luger Mark Grimmette in 2010, and speed skater Chris Witty in 2006. The most famous American flagbearer was probably figure skater Scott Hamilton, who carried the flag in Lake Placid, New York, in 1980, four years before winning his first gold medal.
Despite crashing and dislocating his left shoulder at a World Cup event earlier this year, Todd Lodwick will compete in the Olympic event at the Sochi Winter Games.