For Team USA, the Rio Olympics will be bookended by a pair of G.O.A.T.s.
That's the greatest of all time: the athletes that have so surpassed their rivals that they stand alone at the top of their sport.
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Just over two weeks ago, Michael Phelps carried the American flag into the Opening Ceremony, leading Team USA into the Parade of Nations. On Sunday, gymnast Simone Biles will receive the honor of carrying the flag in the Closing Ceremony.
"It's an incredible honor to be selected as the flag bearer by my Team USA teammates,” Biles told TeamUSA.org. “This experience has been the dream of a lifetime for me and my team and I consider it a privilege to represent my country, the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics by carrying our flag. I also wish to thank the city of Rio de Janeiro, and the entire country of Brazil, for hosting an incredible Games.”
19-year-old Biles entered the Rio Olympics already a legend in her sport: four-time national all-around champion, three-time reigning world all-around champion, most decorated U.S. female gymnast ever with 14 total world championship medals, and first African-American gymnast to win the world all-around title.
She not only lived up to her reputation as the greatest gymnast that ever lived, she cemented it. A female gymnast has the opportunity to win six Olympic medals (team, all-around and four apparatus). Biles won five, four golds and a bronze.
After the gymnastics competition ended, Biles and her Final Five teammates stayed in Rio to cheer on other athletes and hopefully visit some of Rio's famous beaches.
Michael Phelps entered the Rio Olympics, his fifth, with 22 Olympic medals; he left with 28, 23 of them gold. Now 31 years old, Phelps says that the Rio Olympics are definitely his last.
The Closing Ceremony can be watched on NBC or streamed online at NBCOlympics.com at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 21.