Peter Reinebo, operations manager at the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK), presented the flag bearers at a press conference in the Olympic Village.

Next to him stood a proud Algotsson Ostholt.

- I immediately felt "wow what an honor to be a part of this".

There was no doubt, says Algotsson Ostholt, Olympic silver medalist in London 2012.

It was long uncertain whether the 46-year-old would reach his fourth Olympics.

The investment got a tough blow when two of her horses died in a truck fire when she was on her way home from a competition in Poland in 2019.

Now she is a reserve in Japan.

"Most surprised"

Salminen, Olympic gold medalist in starboat 2012 together with Fredrik Lööf, participated in the press conference via telephone link from the sailors' Olympic upload in Enoshima.

He received the question from Reinebo just a few hours before the flag bearers were to be presented.

- I was probably most surprised - and happy.

Now that it has started to sink in, it gives an incredible energy boost, says the finn dinghy sailor.

- It is perhaps one of the greatest things you can experience as an Olympian, almost comparable to a medal.

I was asked when I was standing in the breakfast buffet.


As part of its work on gender equality, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has changed the rules and called on the troops that can appoint a female and a male flag bearer in Tokyo.

- It is historic, states Peter Reinebo.

Two criteria

SOK's one criterion is that you must be a successful Olympian.

It satisfies both Algotsson Ostholt and Salminen with their Olympic medals.

- The second criterion is about how you represent yourself, your sport, the Swedish squad and Sweden.

It was fun that they had the opportunity - and that they said yes immediately, says Reinebo.

- They will carry a banner together.

We will have a small but strong following consisting of both active and leaders.

TT: Was it difficult to find flag bearers in these special circumstances with a corona bubble?

- It was not difficult and they were at the top of our list.

And I would have respected if any of them refused, if they did not catch up with their acclimatization or maybe had competitions on Saturday, says Reinebo.

No audience

It will be an unusual inauguration at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium with room for 68,000 spectators.

No audience is allowed during the pandemic, otherwise few details about the ceremony have been leaked.

Even for the Swedish squad is very unclear.

- We will get that information tomorrow.

I think they are monitoring to the last.

But overall, we are becoming fewer.

Maybe we will be somewhere between 60-70 percent of those who usually walk, says Peter Reinebo.

In the Rio Olympics five years ago, swimmer Therese Alshammar was a Swedish flag bearer.