Pechstein, Friedrich to carry German flag at Beijing 2022 opening ceremony
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Loading... - Stevens Harvey
- 04 Feb 2022
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Two of Germany's most successful athletes Claudia Pechstein and Francesco Friedrich are going to carry the German flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday.
In a combined vote of fans and athletes, the 49-year-old speed skater Pechstein and the 31-year-old bobsledder Friedrich were selected out of a group of six athletes.
Ahead of his third Games, two-time Olympic champion Friedrich spoke about "an accolade for every athlete to be selected," which he believes is an equivalent to winning a gold medal at the 2022 Games. "It's a special honor for me as an athlete."
Pechstein spoke about a career highlight despite having carried the German flag at the closing ceremony at the Turin Winter Games in 2006.
"To carry our flag is a great honor, it is somehow the dot on the 'i.' It means more to me than all of my medals I won so far," Pechstein said ahead of her eighth Winter Games.
Pechstein has won nine Olympic medals as she added two silver and two bronze medals to her five golden ones from 1992 to 2006. She will be the first woman to attend eight Games in Beijing.
Five-time Olympic champion Pechstein and 13-time world champion Friedrich outpaced luger Nathalie Geisenberger and snowboarder Ramona Hofmeister, as well as ice hockey team captain Moritz Muller and luger Tobias Wendl.
"I have won about everything possible in my career. To now carry the flag as an Olympic record participant makes me extremely proud," said Pechstein, who narrowly lost the voting four years ago. Read More...
