The International Olympic Committee continues the tradition that began at the Tokyo Olympic Games, where each country’s flag is carried simultaneously by both a man and a woman. The Estonian Olympic Committee selected Talihärm, who is competing at her fourth Olympics, and Liiv, who is attending his third.
However, the athletes will not carry the flag side by side. The opening ceremony will take place in four different locations — Milan, Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo. Therefore, Liiv will bring the flag onto the stage at Milan’s San Siro Stadium, while Talihärm will carry the flag in the Cortina Olympic Village.
Biathlete Johanna Talihärm, 32, who is also a candidate for the IOC Athletes’ Commission at these Winter Olympics, said:
“It is an honor to once again carry the Estonian flag on behalf of biathletes at the Olympic opening ceremony. I remember when I went to my first Olympics in Sochi in 2014 — biathlete Indrek Tobreluts carried the flag, and the feeling of entering the stadium with the Estonian delegation was incredible. The Cortina opening will certainly be a bit different, but it is a historic moment for all of us.”
A three-time Olympian with 226 World Cup starts since making her debut in 2012, Talihärm currently serves as Chair of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Athletes’ Commission, a position she was elected to in November 2025 after two years as Vice Chair. She is also an athlete representative on the European Youth Olympic Festival Commission and the Istanbul 2027 European Games Coordination Commission.
Before this season, Talihärm dealt with a prolonged illness accompanied by fever, which disrupted her training and competition plans. She has said that she does not fully understand how she managed to return to top-level sport, making her role as flag bearer another notable milestone in her career.
Speed skater Marten Liiv, 29, is also looking forward to the honor. He previously marched in the opening ceremony at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
“When I heard that the opening ceremony would take place at San Siro, something immediately clicked — that’s where I want to go,” Liiv said. “I’m a big football fan, so this makes it even more special. I’m very grateful to the Estonian Olympic Committee for trusting me with this role.”
Liiv is among Estonia’s strongest athletes. At the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, he finished seventh in the men’s 1000 m, and at the 2026 European Speed Skating Championships, he won bronze in the 1000 m and placed fifth in the 500 m.
The XXV Winter Olympic Games will be held in Milano Cortina from February 6–22. The Estonian team consists of 32 athletes, outfitted by Sportland. Information about the team, schedules, and results is available on the special page https://www.eok.ee/milano-2026 and on Team Estonia’s social media channels. The Olympics will be broadcast on ERR’s channels.
Estonia’s Previous Flag Bearers at the Winter Olympics (after regaining independence):
- 2022 Beijing: freestyle skier Kelly Sildaru and cross-country skier Martin Himma
- 2018 PyeongChang: speed skater Saskia Alusalu
- 2014 Sochi: biathlete Indrek Tobreluts
- 2010 Vancouver: biathlete Roland Lessing
- 2006 Torino: biathlete Eveli Saue
- 2002 Salt Lake City: Nordic combined bronze medalist Allar Levandi
- 1998 Nagano: biathlete Kalju Ojaste
- 1994 Lillehammer: Nordic combined athlete Allar Levandi
- 1992 Albertville: Olympic speed skating champion Ants Antson