Army Sgt. Frank Del Duca has been selected as one of Team USA’s flag bearers for the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy on Friday.

Del Duca, in his second Olympics as a bobsled pilot for Team USA, will join speedskating champion Erin Jackson in leading the U.S. delegation. He will be the first bobsledder to carry the flag into an opening ceremony in 70 years, the Associated Press reported.

“Being chosen to represent the United States on the world stage is a tremendous honor,” Jackson said in a statement Tuesday from The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. “It’s a moment that reflects far more than one individual — it represents my family, my teammates, my hometown, and everyone across the country who believes in the power of sport. The Olympics remind us of the power of sport to connect and inspire, and I’m proud to carry that forward on the Olympic stage.”

Del Duca made his Olympic debut at Beijing in 2022, finishing 13th in the two-man and four-man bobsled events. The 2026 Milano Cortina Games are particularly special to Del Duca because of his family background, he said. Three of Del Duca’s grandparents were Italian, and he grew up with a lot of Italian-American influence.

The Milan Cortina Games opening ceremony begins at 2 p.m. ET on Friday. The event will air on NBC and stream on Peacock and NBC Olympics platforms.  

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

previous coverage

• Army officer, three other soldiers are coaching US Olympic bobsledders in Beijing
• Team USA bobsled coach, an Army officer, relives Olympic glory through his athletes’ medals