US legend Michael Johnson ‘disappointed’ in Team USA’s flag bearer selection

US Olympic legend Michael Johnson expressed disappointment with Team USA’s choice of flag bearers at the Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris. He felt that other “traditional” athletes should have been selected instead of tennis phenom Coco Gauff and basketball superstar LeBron James. Johnson believed that the committee made a “popularity” pick and wished they had chosen seven-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles.

Simone Biles, a flag bearer at the 2016 Rio Olympics closing ceremony, was absent from the boating festivities on Friday. Her mother Nellie explained that Biles needed to rest before the women’s qualifier competition on Sunday, discouraging gymnasts competing from attending the opening ceremony.

Johnson, a four-time Olympic Gold medalist sprinter, has been a personality on a British news channel since 2001 and has covered the Olympics since Athens 2004. The flag bearers were chosen through a vote of Team USA athletes, revealing James and Gauff as the selected pair.

Tennis, a sport that was played at the Olympics from 1896 to 1924 before being withdrawn, returned in 1988. Gauff, the youngest flag bearer in US Olympic history, expressed her surprise and excitement at being chosen alongside LeBron James. She will be making her Olympics debut after having to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Games due to COVID-19.

Gauff, ranked No.2 in the world, is set to face Ajla Tomljanovic of Australia in the singles tournament and will also compete in doubles with Jessica Pegula and mixed doubles with Taylor Fritz.