Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead’s ‘Nascar-like’ outfits make Team USA fans chuckle during Paris Games closing ceremony

TEAM USA stars Katie Ledecky and Nick Mead were given the honor of holding the American flag during the Paris Olympics closing ceremony.

But the Olympic athletes quickly became the subject of humor by viewers on NBC after their outfits were compared to Nascar pit mechanics.

NBC Olympics/X

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Getty

Ledecky and Mead wore oversized red, white and blue jackets, plus matching baseball hats for the showpiece ceremony on Sunday.

But many fans thought the Ralph Lauren outfits made the duo look like members of a motor racing team.

“We’ve got Katie Ledecky looking like a Nascar pit mechanic out here in the city of lights,” one fan said.

“They got Katie Ledecky dressed like she’s driving at Talladega,” another fan said.

“Why are we making Katie Ledecky look like a race car driver in this closing ceremony?” a third fan noted.

Both Ledecky and Mead spoke to NBC announcers Mike Tirico and Jimmy Fallon during their flag-bearing duties.

And Ledecky confirmed her plans to try to take part in the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

“There’s a lot of countries ahead of us. We’re the last ones to walk in,” Ledecky said.

“It’s pretty special since we’re heading to LA next.”

Mead added: “It’s incredible. I’m so honored and humbled to be standing next to Katie.

“And to represent the US and the sport of rowing as the first rowing flag-bearer.”

Mead added he got a much-needed haircut in the Olympic Village while Ledecky said she got to spectate after her races.

Ledecky said that she will “take it one year at a time,” when asked if she plans to swim at LA28.

The American contingent were then seen belting out the Queen song We Are The Champions as the festivities continued.

The closing ceremony rounded off a successful day for Team USA who ended the Paris Olympics on a high note by securing gold in the final event to top the medal table .

The last-gasp victory in the women’s basketball final on Sunday ensured that the Americans edged out China with 126 overall medals.

The nervy 67-66 win over France gave Team USA their 40th gold medal of the Olympics .

With China also securing 40 golds, USA topped the table based on their silver medal count.

Overall, Team USA finished with 40 golds, 44 silvers and 42 bronze medals.

Meanwhile, China collected 40 golds, 27 silvers and 24 bronzes.

'Global sports superpower'

By Sunni Upal, Deputy US Sport Editor

USA needed their women’s basketball stars to deliver a late gold medal Sunday to finish on top in Paris.

While the American team were way ahead on overall medal count, the gold medal table is what counts in most parts of the world, and the US again showed that they are the planet’s sporting superpower.

The games started slowly in terms of gold medals for Team USA.

The swim team needed a late charge to hold off a challenge from Australia in the pool. But their track and field dominance with 14 gold medals at the Stade de France is what carried this team in Paris.

Simone Biles also returned in style with three golds and a silver in gymnastics after her tough time in Tokyo three years ago.

The USWNT also had a redemption after their Women’s World Cup disaster last year, with Mallory Swanson scoring the winning goal in the gold medal game having missed the tournament in 2023 through injury.

But the final word went to USA’s basketball teams – with LeBron James and Co winning a fifth straight men’s gold medal, and Diana Taurasi and team making it eight straight.

The US entered the final day of competition with 38 golds, one behind China’s tally of 39.

China’s Li Wenwen put the pressure on the Americans by winning gold in the women’s +81kg weightlifting.

The USA’s women’s volleyball team and the wrestler Kennedy Blades added to the total medal count with silver medals.

Then Jennifer Valente came through in the omnium before the Team USA women’s basketball team ended the Olympics on the highest of highs.