Nick Mead, who rowed in the bow seat of the Olympic champion men's four in Paris, was named the USA flag bearer for the Paris 2024 Closing Ceremonies along with swimmer Katie Ledecki. Mead was nominated as the flag bearer for USRowing, and following is Mead's personal statement submitted to the USOPC.

"My name is Nick Mead, I am the oldest member of the USA Men's Rowing team, a two-time Olympian and 2024 Olympic Champion. I am so honored to have the opportunity to represent the United States on this world stage. I am under no illusion that my athletic accomplishments are in any way comparable to those of athletes like Katie Ledecky or Simone Biles. However, as the flag bearer nominee for US Rowing, I believe there is merit in elevating the sport of rowing as we close out the Paris Olympic Games. Rowing has never been represented by an American flag bearer despite being one of the founding Olympic sports and embodying the essential spirit of the Olympics.

"The night after winning Olympic Gold in Paris, I by chance met the descendants of Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympics. The Coubertin family reminded me of the founding principles of the Olympic movement – a celebration of the joy found in effort. They shared with me Coubertin's motto: "the important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

"Having spent thousands of hours on the water with my teammates over the last 7 years, I cannot think of a more perfect embodiment of Coubertin's ideal than the sport of rowing. Our sport is not nearly as popular as gymnastics, or swimming, or basketball, or track and field in the United States. There are no sponsorship deals in rowing. Many Americans could not describe the sport to you if you asked them. Nevertheless, we choose to struggle for the love of the sport and dedicate our lives to the struggle, and nothing is more essential to the Olympic spirit than that."

The USA M4-, Mead at right