Evan Bates and Hilary Knight to Carry Team USA Flag at Milan Cortina Closing Ceremony

Evan Bates and Hilary Knight have been chosen as Team USA’s flag bearers for the closing ceremony of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The designation comes at the close of a Games that saw both athletes reach milestone fifth Olympic appearances and collect medals and historic achievements.

Development details — Evan Bates and Hilary Knight named flag bearers

Team USA announced that ice dancer Evan Bates and U. S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight will lead the delegation into the closing ceremony. Both athletes are making their fifth Olympic appearances; it will be Knight’s final Games. Bates earned a gold medal in the figure skating team event and a silver in ice dance alongside his partner and wife, Madison Chock, who revealed his selection to him in front of their teammates while the TODAY show was present. Knight, who helped the U. S. women’s hockey team defeat Canada, 2-1, in overtime to win gold, was notified of her selection during a live appearance on the same program.

Each athlete was presented with a white Team USA coat as part of the moment. The selection was celebrated with hugs and cheers from teammates and chants of “USA” following the reveals.

Context and escalation

The decision follows weeks of competition in which both athletes posted defining performances. Knight’s game-tying goal with just over two minutes remaining in regulation forced overtime in the championship hockey match; that goal marked the 15th of her Olympic career and pushed her to 33 career Olympic points, breaking the American record in both categories. Bates’s medal haul for the Games included team event gold and an individual silver in ice dance with Chock.

What makes this notable is that both athletes reached these honors during their fifth Olympic campaigns, underscoring sustained excellence at the highest level of the sport. The presentation of the flag-bearer news unfolded in intimate, emotional moments captured for teammates and the broadcast audience: Chock delivered the news to Bates, and Knight learned of her role while appearing live on the morning program.

Immediate impact

The selections serve as a capstone for both athletes’ Olympic weeks and will put them at the forefront of Team USA’s final ceremonial appearance. Knight’s leadership and record-setting scoring helped secure the hockey gold, directly affecting Team USA’s medal performance in the tournament. Bates’s medals contributed to the United States’ figure skating success and highlighted the team’s depth in ice events.

Teammates and staff responded visibly: after the announcements, teammates gathered to hug the honorees, and Bates and Chock embraced on the ice. The honors carry symbolic weight for Team USA at the conclusion of the Games and will be visible to a national audience when the ceremony airs.

Forward outlook

The closing ceremony is scheduled for Sunday at The Verona Arena, a 2, 000-year-old historic amphitheater. The event will be broadcast live at 2: 30 p. m. ET on NBC and will also be available on Peacock. With both athletes confirmed as flag bearers, programming and team movements for the final day will center on the parade of nations and the formal conclusion of the Milan Cortina Games.

Confirmed milestones now approaching include the procession into The Verona Arena and the final medal ceremonies and team gatherings that will follow the televised program. Team USA’s selection of Evan Bates and Hilary Knight will be part of the closing images of this Olympics, closing out competition and recognizing sustained contributions to U. S. winter sports at these Games.