For two thirds of her life, Anna Meares has been a sprint cyclist, for one night she'll reap a reward like no other.
Meares will lead Australia's team onto Celtic Park at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on Wednesday night, the latest honour in a career which has yielded two Olympic gold medals, four Commonwealth golds and 10 world titles.
But this honour is different and it's one she feels rewards not just her achievements on the velodrome.
"It tells me I've done a really good job in my career so far," she said.
"I'm a good teammate, I'm a good leader and sometimes it's not always about being successful, it's about bouncing back from defeats and failures and challenges and I think that's reminiscent of the Australian spirit and character and I think I embody those qualities."
Meares certainly has faced her share of challenges, most especially coming back from a crash which fractured the C2 vertebra in her neck and almost cost her life in 2008 to take a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics months later and then gold in London in 2012.
She says she's come a long way since making her Commonwealth Games debut as a "chubby redhead" in 2002, but few athletes have worked as hard as Meares to achieve what she has.
And she rates the honour of carrying the Australian flag as something "beyond the scope" of her usual achievements and it "stands alone."
"I've dedicated almost two thirds of my life to the sport to potentially be involved in teams like this and it feels like such an incredible reward," she said.
Named as the flag bearer by chef de mission Steve Moneghetti in front of most of her 416 teammates at the team reception at Kelvingrove museum on Monday night, an emotional Meares held back the tears.
"When you look up and see everyone looking back and smiling, it takes your breath away a bit because they're proud of you and they're happy for you to lead them," she said.
"It's the largest Australian contingent in Commonwealth Games history and I'm really proud to lead them."
If the 30-year-old Queenslander wins gold in either the sprint or 500m time trial she will surpass Kathy Watt as Australia's most successful female cyclist.
But she has no qualms about marching in the opening ceremony and expending so much emotional energy the night before she races in the time trial.
"I don't care about being on my feet, this is going to be one of the most memorable moments of my life," she said.
"I'm hugely motivated. I'm feeling the love at the moment, love turns to happiness and when I feel good, I go good."
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