Tom Daley and Helen Glover, possible British flag bearers
Both diver and rower are already classic Olympic athletes, as well as gold medal winners. On Friday, at the opening ceremony, one of the two will lead one of the largest delegations competing at Paris 2024. They are also two potential medal winners.
Tom Daley will be competing in Paris in his fifth Olympic Games. He has one gold medal and three bronze medals. A diver who makes history for the number of participations by a British athlete in that sport. And a media reference point for her demand for rights for the LGBTQ population.
Helen Glover even retired from rowing, but came back. Olympic champion in London 2012 and Rio 2016, she returned to competition in Tokyo 2020 and almost won another medal and now, in Paris, she will compete in her fourth Games.
The decision is still to be made. It will be one of the most important things to happen to the flag bearer. The eyes of the whole world will be on that person for several seconds. And even more so in a delegation like the British one, one of the largest and most important.
Both have sufficient sporting merit to carry the flag for Great Britain. The choice of Tom Daley can be used to send out a specific message. Defending diversity and human rights.
It is customary for the Olympic Games to reject political messages from athletes. Paris 2024 follows this line, but wants to open up the option for certain issues. The rights of the LGBTQ community are one example, and the organisation has explicitly cited this. It is normal to see Daley competing or training with towels bearing the colours of that flag.
Glover is more of a story of overcoming. She abandoned her sporting discipline, but decided to return after becoming a mother. Now she is 38 years old and has the illusion to succeed again. Rowing has taken her to the highest level, which is to win Olympic gold. In World Championships and European Championships she also has an extensive collection of medals.
On Friday, they will both be in the Olympic Stadium. In Paris they will try to extend their own legend. And one of them may have the honour of flying the flag for their country at the opening ceremony.