Steve Serio and Nicky Nieves picked as US flagbearers for Paralympics opening ceremony

PARIS (AP) — Former gold medalists Steve Serio and Nicky Nieves have been chosen as the United States’ flagbearers for the Paralympics opening ceremony, the American Olympic and Paralympic committee announced Friday.

Serio has helped the U.S.'s wheelchair basketball team to gold medals at the 2016 and 2020 Paralympic Games. A five-time world champion, he is co-captain of its 2024 team along with Trevon Jenifer.

“I’m overwhelmed and honored,” Serio said. “I never thought this would be something that I’d get to experience in my career. I want to say thank you to all the Team USA athletes."

Nieves helped Team USA win its first gold in sitting volleyball in 2016.

“Being the flagbearer for Team USA means that all of my hard work was not in vain,” Nieves said. “I get to represent the country that made me who I am, with the best-of-the-best U.S. athletes by my side.”

The opening ceremony for the Paris Paralympics will be held across Place de la Concorde and the Champs Elyssés on Wednesday.

The flagbearers were chosen via a vote by fellow American Paralympic athletes. The American contingent is made up of 225 athletes and guides.

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AP Paralympics https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games

FILE - American sitting volleyball player Nicky Nieves speaks during a press conference at the Olympic media summit, April 15, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman, File)

FILE - American wheelchair basketball player Steve Serio answers questions during an interview, April 15, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman, File)

FILE - The logo of the Paralympic Games is seen on the Goalball pitch during a visit of the Arena Paris Sud venue ahead of the Paralympic Games, on Aug. 19, 2024 in Paris. The flame will be lit on Saturday Aug. 24, 2024 in Stoke Mandeville, a village northwest of London and will then travel to France under the English Channel to begin the four-day relay from northern beaches to Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)

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