Who is Nick Mead? Rower makes history as Team USA flag bearer at closing ceremony with Katie Ledecky

Nick Mead has already been part of history at the 2024 Paris Olympics as the United States men's rowing team won gold in the men's four-boat final for the first time in 64 years.

Now he will be part of more.

On Thursday, Team USA announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the now-gold medal champion will serve as one of two flag bearers for the United States alongside Katie Ledecky at Sunday's closing ceremony — the first-ever rower to receive the honor.

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Mead, who hails from Strafford, Pennsylvania, learned of the news from teammate Justin Best at a team breakfast at a local restaurant in Paris on Thursday.

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"I was just looking up a bunch of stats and it has actually been a pretty historic games like so far for us obviously. So us, flex, 64 years last time men's four won the gold so that's pretty hype. Obviously Katie Ledecky, the most decorated (U.S.) female Olympian. That's a flex of a stat," Best said.

"And I think my favorite stat is that you are going to be a flag bearer alongside Katie Ledecky at the closing ceremonies. That's the first time a rower (will do so)."

The moment put Mead at a loss of words.

"That's sick. ... I got chills," Mead said. "... I got to get a haircut."

Here's what you need to know about Mead as he gets ready to become one of the two flag bearers for Team USA at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics:

Who is Nick Mead?

Nick Mead is a member of the United States men's rowing four-boat team that won gold at the Paris Games by surpassing New Zealand by 0.85 seconds for the top spot on the medal podium. Mead, who sat in the bow position on the boat, and his teammates finished with a time of 5:49.03.

The gold medal finish marked the first time since the 1960 Rome Olympics that the United States had won gold in the event — 64 years in the making, talk about quite the historical storyline. He will now serve as one of two flag bearers for Team USA at the closing ceremony.

The 2024 Paris Olympics is the second Summer Olympics in which Mead has represented the United States in rowing, as he was part of the United States men's eight boat at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that finished fourth in the men's eight boat.

Mead comes from a rowing family as his dad rowed at Princeton and his mom and brother both rowed at Ivy League foe, the University of Pennsylvania.

Where is Nick Mead from?

Mead hails from Strafford, Pennsylvania, which is located roughly 45 minutes north of Philadelphia in Chester County.

Where did Nick Mead go to college?

Mead attended Princeton University, one of rowing's premier college programs, where he was part of the Tigers' 1V boat, i.e. the top varsity eight boat, for three seasons.

During his senior season at Princeton, Mead helped the Tigers' varsity eight boat to title wins in the Navy-Princeton Rowing Cup, the Childs Cup and the Content Cup per his Princeton profile page. In 2015, he was part of Princeton's V8 boat that competed in the Ladies Plate Challenge competition at the Royal Henley Regatta in Henley-on-Thames, England — one of the sport's most prestigious regattas to compete in.

What is Nick Mead's age?

Mead is 29 years old. He was born on March 12, 1995.

Who are the Team USA flag bearers for the closing ceremony?

Similar to the opening ceremony — where LeBron James and Coco Gauff served as the flag bearers —Team USA will have two flag bearers for Sunday's closing ceremony. Mead will share the honor with swimming legend Katie Ledecky, who became the winningest and most decorated American female Olympic athlete in Olympics history at the Paris Games after winning her ninth overall gold medal in the women's 800-meter freestyle.

"Honored to lead @TeamUSA at the Closing Ceremony with Nick!," Ledecky wrote on X shortly after Thursday's announcement.

History of Team USA flag bearers for the closing ceremony

Here's a full list of athletes who have served as the flag bearer for Team USA at the closing ceremony at the Summer Olympics dating back to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics:

• 2024 Paris Olympics: Katie Ledecky (Swimming) and Nick Mead (Rowing)
• 2020 Tokyo Olympics: Kara Winger (Athletics)
• 2016 Rio Olympics: Simone Bils (Gymnastics)
• 2012 London Olympics: Bryshon Nellum (Athletics)
• 2008 Beijing Olympics: Khatuna Lorig (Archery)
• 2004 Athens Olympics: Mia Hamm (Women's Soccer)
• 2000 Sydney Olympics: Rulon Gardner (Wrestling)
• 1996 Atlanta Olympics: Michael Matz (Equestrian)
• 1992 Barcelona Olympics: Peter Westbrook (Fencing)

When is the Olympics closing ceremony?

• Date: Sunday, Aug. 11
• Time: 7 p.m. ET
• TV channel: NBC
• Streaming options: NBC app | NBC Olympics app | NBCOlympics.com | Peacock | Fubo (free trial)

NBC's primetime coverage of the closing ceremony for the Paris Games will air at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 11 from Stade de France. Mike Tirico and comedian Jimmy Fallon will host the ceremony in Paris alongside Terry Gannon and former Team USA figure skating Olympians Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir.

You can also stream the event on the NBC app, the NBC Olympics app or NBCOlympics.com by logging in with your TV provider credentials or on Peacock or on Fubo, which carries NBC and offers a free trial to select users.

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