OK, we just noted that 5 flagbearers in Sochi will be carrying their national flag for the 3rd time at an Opening Ceremony. Does that equal the record? Not really. Five athletes have carried their national flag 4 times at the Opening Ceremony, but nobody has ever done it 4 times at the Winter Olympics. However, Spain’s Francisco Fernández Ochoa, an Alpine skiier, uniquely carried the Spanish flag 3 times at the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies, and also carried at the 1972 München Opening Ceremony – at a Summer Olympics. 30 athletes have carried their national flag 3 times at an Olympic Games – 25 before tonite.
Here is the list of flagbearers carrying their national flag 4 times at the Olympic Games.
[table]
NOC,Athlete,Sport,Years
AUT,Hubert Raudaschl,SAI,1972/1984-88/1996
BEL,Gaston Roelants,ATH,1964-76
FSM,Manuel Minginfel,WLT,2000-12
TTO,Hasely Crawford,ATH,1972-84
ESP,Francisco Fernández Ochoa,ASK,1972(S/W)/1976-80
[/table]