Orla White, Austyn Manley and Uzair Chowdhury have been named as Team GB’s flagbearers for the Opening Ceremony of the Skopje 2025 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).
With the seven-day Festival spanning sixteen venues across North Macedonia and Croatia, the city of Skopje will host the Opening Ceremony this evening (Sunday 20 July), with athletes based in Croatia’s Osijek able to take part in a smaller concurrent event. White and Manley will lead the Team GB delegation into the Ceremony in Skopje, while Chowdhury will carry the flag in Osijek.
Mountain bike athlete White was delighted to be selected, commenting: “I wasn’t expecting to be chosen for this in the slightest, so it’s hard to put what I’m feeling into words, but I’m so excited.
“Being put forward for the role makes me think that my hard work is being recognised and I’m doing the right things, so I really want to continue that this week.”
Manley, who starts his Skopje 2025 in the 200m individual medley on Tuesday 22nd, said: “I’m honoured to be selected as flagbearer because it’s a prestigious role that not many people get the chance to do .
“I think it’s going to be the most amazing experience and I just want to make the most of it before getting stuck into competition.”
And Harpenden-born Chowdhury, who recently became the youngest-ever parallel bars champion at the Junior European Gymnastics Championships, said: “To be selected for Team GB already feels so surreal, but to be chosen as a flagbearer on top of that makes my heart buzz.”
Chowdhury and his teammates follow in the footsteps of Olympians Ruby Evans and Abi Martin, who both represented Team GB at the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2022 before their selection for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games last summer.
Each of the Skopje 2025 flagbearers were nominated by their respective team leaders for being outstanding ambassadors for their sports and best displaying the Team GB values, before being selected by Team GB Chef de Mission, Rachel Smith.
Smith commented: “To be selected to lead your country and team out at an Opening Ceremony is a massive honour. Orla, Austyn and Uzair are amazing ambassadors for their sports and Team GB. We are extremely proud of them all and hope that they will remember this moment for many years to come.”
Skopje 2025 runs from 20 – 26th July , with Team GB’s 54 young athletes competing in 10 of the 15 disciplines on the programme: artistic gymnastics, badminton, basketball 3×3, canoe slalom, judo, mountain bike, road cycling, swimming, table tennis and taekwondo.
Follow all of the action and latest results on TeamGB.com or @TeamGB on all social media platforms.
With thanks to Team GB
