Freestyle skier Ben Lynch named flagbearer for Winter Olympics closing ceremony

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

Freestyle skier Ben Lynch has said it is an “incredible honour” to be chosen as Team Ireland’s flagbearer at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics on Sunday night.

Lynch became the first Irish skier to qualify for a Winter Olympics halfpipe final and finished eighth, one of the country’s best-ever Winter Olympic results.

In a statement, he said: “To carry the Irish flag at the closing ceremony is an incredible honour.

“After making history by reaching the halfpipe final, something I dreamed of for years, this moment brings it all together.”

The closing ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games will be held in Verona.

The four athletes who represented Ireland at the games will all take part.

Alongside Lynch will be Alpine skier Cormac Comerford, who took part in all four individual events – downhill, super-g, giant slalom and slalom – that were held in Bormio.

It was Thomas Maloney Westgard’s third Olympic Games; he came 23rd in a cross-country skiing event, the 50km mass start classic, which took place in Predazzo.

The youngest member of the team, 17-year-old Anabelle Zurbay, competed in the alpine slalom and giant slalom.

Ireland’s chef de mission, Nancy Chillingworth, said: “I am immensely proud of every athlete who represented Ireland in Milano Cortina, they competed with determination, professionalism and pride, and at a really high level.

“The performances we have seen here underline the progress being made in Irish winter sports, and they give us great confidence and optimism for the future as we continue to build towards the next Olympic cycle.”

The team will travel home to Ireland on Monday, where they will attend a formal homecoming event.