Mediolan, Italy – Natalia Czerwonka, representing Poland, has been named the flag bearer for the Polish delegation at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, officials announced Friday. The honor, described by Czerwonka as almost as important as winning a medal, comes as she prepares for her fifth Olympic Games.
Czerwonka, born October 20, 1988, is one of Poland’s most decorated speed skaters. Her return to competition after announcing her retirement in 2022 has been a significant story leading into the Games. She will compete in the 1000 and 1500-meter events. She previously won a silver medal in the team pursuit at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
The selection of Czerwonka as flag bearer alongside ski jumper Kamil Stoch was made official ahead of the opening ceremony scheduled for Friday evening at the San Siro stadium in Milan.
The Polish team’s participation comes amid scrutiny of the Olympic venue itself. Czerwonka recently expressed concerns about the conditions at the Expo hall, which has been converted into an ice rink for the Games. She described the setup as feeling “like a market,” with temporary structures and limited space, contrasting it with previous Olympic venues. Despite these concerns, Czerwonka stated that athletes are adapting to the conditions.
Earlier this week, Natalia Czerwonka appeared to publicly criticize fellow Polish speed skater Andżelika Wójcik, posting on social media a photo celebrating the sixth-place finish of Kai Ziomek-Nogal. This followed Wójcik’s statements after the 500-meter race, where she claimed to have prepared for the Olympics without a coach and criticized the support from the Polish Speed Skating Association. The President of the Polish Speed Skating Association responded by publicly accusing Wójcik of lying.
Czerwonka began her Olympic campaign on Thursday, finishing 15th in the 1000-meter race. She described her participation as “my event and my fun,” emphasizing her enjoyment of the competition. The next scheduled event for Polish speed skaters is a race featuring Czerwonka, set for 16:30 local time today.