Finland’s flag at the Olympic opening ceremony will be carried by windsurfer Tuuli Petäjä-Sirén. She told Yle that she’s honoured to take on the job.
"I was happy and maybe a bit surprised to hear the news," Petäjä-Sirén told Yle. "Of course it’s a big honour and a kind of dream to represent your own country in the Olympics and to carry the flag in the opening ceremony. It’s a great feeling."
Petäjä-Sirén is one of the bigger names in the Finnish team, and one of those with plenty of previous Olympic experience. Four years ago in London she won silver, and was also named Finnish sportsperson of the year. She also competed in Beijing in 2008, when as a novice Olympian her experience of the opening ceremony was a little different.
"There was no pace to keep up," remembered Petäjä-Sirén. "Especially in Beijing at my first Olympics—coming in to the huge stadium left some strong memories. It was emotional, when there’s our whole team and the crowd all around us."
This year the opening ceremony will be directed by Fernando Meirelles, Daniela Thomas and Andrucha Washington. The choreography of more than 6,000 volunteer dancers at the Maracaña stadium will be led by Deborah Colker.
The show will be live on Yle’s TV2 from 1:45am on Saturday morning.
