Adam Hill has been named as Team GB’s flagbearer for the Closing Ceremony of the Vuokatti 2022 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF).
Hill, who has competed in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m short track speed skating disciplines this week, was told the news upon completing his final event in the 1000m this afternoon.
The skater will carry the Union Flag into the Closing Ceremony, bringing the Vuokatti 2022 Games to a close, where over 1,000 athletes competed across nine sports.
Upon hearing the news, Hill said, “I couldn’t believe it. It’s so amazing to come to event like this - it’s been incredible to even be selected, but to be voted as flagbearer by a group of such amazing people is unbelievable, I’m so grateful.
“I’ve tried embracing everything that EYOF is about and being part of Team GB, which is an honour in itself. Being selected for something like this is an unbelievable feeling, it’s an honour.
Reflecting on his week as a whole, the Redditch-born skater said, “There have been a lot more positives this week than the results have shown. The results themselves are a little bit disappointing, but I’m not really thinking about them as I don’t think they represented how well I feel I skated.
"This week, I’m generally pleased with how I performed and I take away a huge amount of learning from this great experience.”
Elaine Skilton, Team GB’s Chef de Mission for Vuokatti 2022, said “Adam is thoroughly deserving of being Team GB’s flagbearer for tonight’s Closing Ceremony. He has had an excellent week here in Vuokatti. Not only has he performed remarkably well on the field of play with two personal bests, but he has also fully embraced the wider EYOF experience, supporting others from across the different sports and nations, taking part in activities, learning from the opportunities on offer, and being a positive influence on the whole team.”
“I hope that he enjoys the experience, he is a credit to himself and his sport of short track speed skating.”
Hill was the last Team GB athlete in action at the Vuokatti 2022 EYOF, where he bowed out in the quarter-final stage of the 1000m.
Despite finishing second in his quarter-final, Hill was penalised and disqualified following an infringement with Dutch skater Niels Bergsma. He ended up placing in 13th position, but had a positive week overall, achieving two personal bests in the 1500m and 500m earlier in the festival.
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