Coco Gauff Will Be The 2024 US Olympic Flag Bearer, And She Made History By Doing So

Tennis star Coco Gauff will make her Olympic debut as Team USA's female flag bearer.

The 20-year-old champion has been chosen to wave the flag during the Parade of Nations at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on July 26.

This honor makes Coco the first tennis player to hold the title, as well as the youngest person in Olympic history to be a flag bearer.

Coco will join three-time Olympic medalist LeBron James , who was named the male flag bearer on July 22. This also makes LeBron the first male basketball player to have this position.

“I was completely shocked,” Coco said during a recent Today Show interview. “I never would have crossed my mind. I have no words, honestly.”

“It made me cry. I didn’t want to cry in front of my teammates...but when I called my mom, I started crying. I think it’s even more special — even now I get emotional thinking about it — that so many incredible people just think that I’m worthy of this. It means a lot, truly.”

How special! Watch the moment, via the Today Show , when Coco's longtime friend and fellow tennis player, Chris Eubanks, surprised her with the news:

You can watch Coco at the opening ceremony on July 26 on NBC and Peacock .