Amy thrilled to carry flag at closing ceremony

Amy Williams, Britain's first Olympic skeleton champion, said she is thrilled and proud to be asked to carry the Union Flag at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games closing ceremony.

Amy produced a stunning performance to strike gold for Team GB on Friday 19 February to become Britain's first individual Olympic Winter Games gold medallist in any sport for 30 years and the first woman individual gold medallist for 58 years.

She said: “What an amazing honour to be asked to carry the British flag and lead the way for Team GB. I am hugely thrilled and proud - this really does mean the world to me.

“I’ve been pinching myself ever since I won the gold medal, and now to have this honour come my way is brilliant. I’m sure the closing ceremony will be a wonderful finale to what has been, to me, an incredible Games.”

Andy Hunt, Team GB Chef de Mission said: “There was only one truly outstanding candidate to carry our flag and that was Amy. She produced a magnificent performance to win the gold medal in skeleton - our first individual gold in 30 years.

“But she is also a charming and inspirational figure who we hope will help to encourage a new generation towards embracing Olympic sport.

“The closing ceremony marks the end of a fine Olympic Winter Games. Our team has competed consistently well and produced some outstanding performances. Sunday’s ceremony will give our athletes a final chance to savour the unique atmosphere of these Games, and hopefully spur them on to return to the ranks of Team GB in Sochi in 2014.”

Amy's gold medal-winning performance meant Great Britain have maintained their impressive record of winning a skeleton medal at every Olympic Winter Games to feature the sport. Alex Coomber won bronze at Salt Lake City in 2002 and Shelley Rudman took silver at Turin four years ago, while David Carnegie, the 11th Earl of Northesk, won bronze in 1928 and John Crammond also won bronze in 1948.