In a bittersweet twist for Australian Winter Olympian Matt Graham, his parents will miss seeing him march as a flagbearer at the opening ceremony due to an unprecedented multi-venue format. After being excluded from the Beijing Games due to COVID-19 restrictions, Steve and Debbie Graham eagerly secured tickets for Italy, only to discover their son would be leading the team at a different location.
An Olympic First Splits Families
For the first time in Olympic history, the Winter Games opening ceremony will be held concurrently across four distinct Italian venues: Milan, Livigno, Predazzo, and Cortina. This innovative but logistically challenging arrangement has created an unexpected scenario for athletes and their supporters.
While moguls veteran Matt Graham proudly carries the Australian flag into Livigno's Snow Park, his parents will be watching from the main stadium at Milan's San Siro, approximately 250 kilometres away. The flagbearer announcement came just two days before the ceremony, making it impossible for them to alter their travel plans.
A Long-Awaited Opportunity
Graham, who claimed silver at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, was named alongside defending Olympic champion Jakara Anthony as Australia's joint flagbearers. This honour marks his fourth and likely final Olympic appearance, adding significance to the moment.
"When the schedule came out and I told my mum and dad that you know I'm going to be able to march they were like 'Awesome we're going to buy tickets' so they sort of rushed and bought the tickets and booked the accommodation as quickly as they could," Graham explained from Livigno.
He added philosophically, "In some ways it's a little bit frustrating but I know they're going to be there in spirit and they're going to see a great show down there in Milan."
Family Support Across Continents
Graham's wife Jess and their baby daughter Ada are also travelling from Sydney to support him, though they will not arrive in time to witness the opening ceremony march. This isn't the first time the Graham family has faced travel disruptions related to his sporting career.
Earlier this season, they booked flights to Deer Valley in Utah to watch Graham compete in a final World Cup event before the Olympics, only for the competition to be relocated to Waterville Valley in New Hampshire at the last minute due to insufficient snow.
Historic Dual Honour for Moguls
The selection of both Graham and Anthony as flagbearers represents a historic moment for Australian winter sports, marking the first time two athletes from the same discipline have shared this role. Team chef de mission Alisa Camplin approached them individually about a month ago, requiring them to keep the news confidential despite training together daily.
"Having two moguls flag bearers, it's the first time there's two from one sport so we're over the moon," said Anthony, who will defend the moguls gold medal she won in Beijing four years ago. "It's really special to share it with Matt — I've always looked up to him."
Shared Milestones and Mutual Respect
Anthony reflected on the significance of sharing this milestone with the 31-year-old Graham, highlighting their longstanding camaraderie. "I got to share a lot of milestones of Matt's career, including winning silver in PyeongChang and get his first globe," said the Victorian athlete.
She continued, "I've been able to share the top step of the podium with him a couple times now and now we get to share this one so we're really racking up the milestones together." This mutual respect underscores the strong bond within Australia's moguls team as they prepare for competition.
Despite the geographical separation during the opening ceremony, the Graham family's unwavering support highlights the personal sacrifices and emotional journeys that accompany elite athletic achievement on the world stage.
