19-year-old athlete Simone Biles is making history at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
She became the first female gymnast to carry Team USA’s flag in either the Opening or Closing Ceremonies on Sunday.
“It’s an incredible honor to be selected as the flag bearer by my Team USA teammates,” Biles said, according to rushhourdaily.com.
On top of that, Biles is only the second gymnast to ever be chosen as the country’s flag-bearer. Gymnast Al Jochim had the honor of carrying the flag at the Opening Ceremonies of the 1936 Olympics.
In addition, Biles was the first American woman to win four gold medals at a single Olympic Games. Only three other women had achieved this feat, with the last one being in 1984.
She won first place in the team competition, individual all-around, vault and floor exercise and third place in the balance beam.
“It’s pretty insane,” the gymnast said about her wins. “What I’ve accomplished in my first Olympics, I’m very proud of myself. I don’t know. It’s crazy.”
Yet, when the 4-foot-8 medalist realized she was going to be the flag-bearer at the closing ceremony, she became worried.
“I’m afraid the flag is going to be too heavy for me. Michael Phelps is so much taller and he seemed to carry it so easily, and I’m very short. So I’m a little worried about that part,” Biles said, according to USA Today.
It is reported that the whole flag, including the staff, weighs less than 3 pounds but the flagstaff is 9 feet long. Still, she held the American flag through Rio’s Maracana Stadium during the ‘Heroes of the Games’ segment of the Closing Ceremony.
According to the Daily Mail, numerous athletes formed a line to take selfies with Biles during the segment.
“This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me and my team and I consider it a privilege to represent my country, the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics by carrying our flag. I also wish to thank the city of Rio de Janeiro, and the entire country of Brazil, for hosting an incredible Games,” Biles said, according to rushhourdaily.com.
