Lauren Parker will make history at the closing ceremony in Milano-Cortina as she becomes the first Australian to carry the flag at the summer and winter Paralympic Games.
Just over two years on from the last time she received the honour, Parker will return alongside Australian team captain Sean Pollard to carry the flag at the closing ceremony.
The star skier will make a speedy two-hour trip from Tesero to Cortina on Sunday after she completes her 20km cross-country ski event.
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Parker is an outside chance of landing a spot on the podium in the event, but that will not slow her ambitions of doing so in the future.
It has been an impressive turnaround for the Australian cyclist, who only 11 months ago sat in a sit ski for the first time.
Lauren Parker seen during Biathlon. Getty
Not even a year on, she can now say she made a Paralympic biathlon sprint pursuit final.
For now, her focus after the event will be on carrying the Australia flag once again.
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The last time Parker did so was at the closing ceremony in Paris in 2024, where she joined swimming star James Turner.
There have been athletes who have earned flag-bearing duties for both the opening and closing ceremony at the Paralympic Winter Games before, like Ben Tudhope. But there has never been an athlete do so at the summer and winter Games.
Lauren Parker and James Turner, flag Bearers of Team Australia. Getty
Pollard will stand alongside her with the flag this time around, having finished ninth in the snowboard cross and 12th in the banked slalom SB-UL category.
He admits the chance to carry the flag is a proud moment in his career.
“It will be a bit of time for reflection about what the team has done for the last week and a bit,” he said.
“I think we can hold our heads high.”