Australian Paralympics co-captain Joany Badenhorst has been rewarded for her dominant season with flag-bearing honours at the PyeongChang 2018 opening ceremony.
The 24-year-old snowboarder comes into the Games with two recent World Cup titles and will contest the women's banked slalom and cross event next week.
The South African-born Badenhorst, who lost her leg in a farming accident 13 years ago, did not compete in Sochi 2014 after being seriously injured on her final training run.
Badenhorst said she was overwhelmed to receive the honour.
"I think it's like when you send out birthday invites and you turn up to your own surprise party and everyone actually showed up. It's that feeling," she said.
"It's the first bite of normal food when you're home. Or seeing your dog again. It's all of that at once. It's amazing.
"I don't think people grasp what it means to an athlete to be able to carry their flag into such an incredible event.
"The Paralympics are a celebration of the most incredible things."
Badenhorst won most points for banked slalom on the elite tour this season and the most points overall for a para-snowboarder.
She broke her patella, collapsed her hip and dislocated her knee in a crash hours before making her Paralympics debut four years ago.
The opening ceremony will be held on Friday where the 15-strong Australian contingent, plus officials, will march.
Share
