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Owen leads the way in PyeongChang ceremony

PARA snowboarder Owen Pick will have the honour of carrying the flag for ParalympicsGB when the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Games begin today.

Pick, who served in Afghanistan with 1st Royal Anglian Regiment (Vikings) of the British Army, was chosen to receive the honour by the Chef de Mission.

The 26-year-old makes his Games debut in PyeongChang where he and teammates James Barnes-Miller and Ben Moore will become the first British athletes in history to compete in Para snowboard at the Paralympic Games.

Owen Pick said: “I’m super happy to be nominated as flagbearer for ParalympicsGB and really proud. I once fought for my country under this flag and now I get to represent my country under the same flag.

“Being one of the first ever Paralympic snowboarders for GB is a huge deal for me because it’s so important to see the sport I love represented at one of the biggest sporting events in the world. I can’t wait to get out there and race.”

Penny Briscoe, Chef de Mission for ParalympicsGB, said: “As Chef it’s always a special moment to tell someone that they’ve been chosen to be our flagbearer and I know that Owen understands what an honour it is to represent the team and his country in this way.

“To have someone from the new sport on the programme who has shown real commitment and progression through this cycle makes him the perfect choice and I hope that he enjoys the moment.”

Professor Nick Webborn, President of the ParalympicsGB delegation, said: “Our athletes have been working incredibly hard over the last few years to reach this point and it’s so exciting that the Games are nearly here. I know that Owen will represent the team with pride on Friday and will have the full support of the rest of the delegation, our partners and fans back at home. I’m sure it will be an experience he will treasure.”

Seventeen athletes will represent ParalympicsGB in a record five sports at PyeongChang 2018: para alpine skiing, para Nordic skiing, para snowboard and wheelchair curling.

The PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games run until March 18.

About the Paralympic Winter Games:

ParalympicsGB is set to compete in a record five sports at Pyeongchang 2018 (the previous best was four in 1994 and 1998).

The sports are: Alpine Skiing, Snowboard, Wheelchair Curling and the two disciplines of Nordic Skiing: Cross Country and Biathlon.

At Sochi 2014, ParalympicsGB produced multiple personal best performances and won an incredible six medals (one gold, three silver, two bronze).

The medal haul included a historic first ever Winter gold for Great Britain, won by Kelly Gallagher and her guide Charlotte Evans.

The three silver and one bronze medals won by Jade Etherington and guide Caroline Powell in alpine skiing made them the most successful winter Paralympic athletes of all time.

The wheelchair curlers also won an impressive bronze medal in Sochi – returning to the podium for the first time since Turin 2006.

ParalympicsGB achieved 10th place in the medal table at Sochi 2014 – its highest ever position at a Winter Paralympic Games

For all the latest news and results of the Games visit

www.paralympic.org

 

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