Evan Bates and Hilary Knight carry U.S. flag at Winter Games Closing Ceremony

As the Milan Cortina Winter Games wound down, Italy staged a larger-than-life Closing Ceremony in Verona, with Evan Bates and Hilary Knight carrying the U.S. flag. The parade of athletes, performances by Italian icons and the traditional handover provided a celebratory cap to weeks of intense competition.

Bates, a decorated ice dancer, learned of his selection from his longtime skating partner and wife, Madison Chock, and celebrated with his team. Reflecting on the honor, he said, "It's so humbling: 232 athletes, every one with their own story, and so many who are worthy of this honor," and added that walking out with Knight — with whom he said he shared a skate sharpener in Montreal — would leave them "bonded forever." Knight, captain of the U.S.

women's hockey team, ended her Olympic career in Milan and marked the moment with a gold-medal performance that made her the all-time leading goal scorer in Olympic history.

Italy, Verona

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