By David Kirton
YANQING, China (Reuters) – Bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor will carry the U.S. flag into the closing ceremony at the Beijing Games on Sunday after the 37-year-old missed out on the honour at the start of the Olympics because of COVID-19.
Meyers Taylor, the country’s most-decorated bobsledder with four medals, had been picked to carry the flag at the opening ceremony two weeks ago but tested positive for COVID on arrival in Beijing.
She, her husband Nicholas and son Nico were placed into isolation until getting the all-clear on Feb. 9.
A video posted on the U.S. Team’s Twitter account on Friday showed Nicholas delivering the news, with the pair then hugging joyfully.
Carrying the flag would be “the biggest honour of my career,” Meyers Taylor said. “After not being able to carry the flag, it’s even more humbling to lead the United States at the closing ceremony.”
Meyers Taylor came out of isolation to win the silver medal in the Olympics’ first monobob event on Monday, when she was greeted with some of the largest cheers the Yanqing National Sliding Centre has heard.
On Friday, she was in contention for yet another medal after the first two heats of the two-woman bobsleigh event, poised in third place ahead of Saturday’s final two runs.
It was likely to be the last competition of her career, she told reporters on Monday.
(Reporting by David Kirton; additional reporting by Amy Tennery; editing by Clare Fallon)
