Andrew Gaze recalls his experience as Australian flag-bearer at Sydney Olympics

ON the morning Anna Meares was revealed as our flag-bearer for Rio, one of her predecessors told of how he nearly blew his moment on the biggest of stages.

Andrew Gaze (l) with hockey star Rechelle Hawkes after the announcement that he would carry the flag in 2000.

BASKETBALL great Andrew Gaze has told how adrenaline took over during the opening ceremony at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, almost causing him to fluff his lines.

Gaze, speaking in Melbourne on Wednesday morning before cyclist Anna Meares was announced as Australia’s newest flag-bearer, was one of four former athletes to tell of their experiences carrying the flag.

The basketball legend recalled how he got caught up in the excitement of the occasion — and hoped he fulfilled his one duty satisfactorily.

“They give you very little instruction, I don’t know about these guys (behind me) but they give you bugger-all instructions about what you’re supposed to do,” Gaze said.

“The only two things (AOC boss) John Coates (told me) ... he basically handed me the flag and said ‘there you go, enjoy yourself’ and the only other responsibility you have is you’re supposed to dip the flag when you go past the (IOC) president’s box.”

Andrew Gaze was all smiles as he carried the flag.

“But in that emotion of the circumstances, 120,000 people in Stadium Australia and walking out in front of all those people, it’s like you’re walking on air and I’m waving that sucker around and I’m not thinking about anything. I’m just absorbing the moment.

“I remember at one stage having a quick glimpse back and I’m 30 metres in front of everyone else and I thought ‘geez, better hold up here big fella’ and then it took me until about halfway around the track that I realised ‘hang on, I’ve got one other responsibility — I’ve got to dip this sucker somewhere!’

“So I’m looking up, looking for the president’s box everywhere I go and if you see the footage and everyone goes ‘gee you waved that flag (a lot)’ but for about 20m of it it’s just me randomly dipping the flag hoping like hell I did the right thing by the president’s box!

“But it was an amazing experience, I had great fun.”

Andrew Gaze” “I’m waving that sucker around and I’m not thinking about anything”

Originally published as Andrew Gaze recalls his experience as Australian flag-bearer at Sydney Olympics