It’s the host nation, Italy!
After a bit of a wait, finally there is a huge roar for the Italian team, the third biggest in the Games with 195 athletes.
MACE switches it up to an amped-up chorus of “Figaro”, and they come into the various venues with big smiles and waving to the ecstatic crowds.
This is the moment they have been waiting for!
There are four flagbearers, two at Milano and Cortina.
Short track speed skater Arianna Fontana is carrying the flag for the second time after having the honour in PyeongChang in 2018.
Also carrying the flag are Cross-Country skier Federico Pellegrino, Curler Amos Mosaner and Alpine Skier Federica Brignone.
If crowd vibes are any guide, this team is ready for a huge Games.
It’s France
The French team come out second-last, not in alphabetical order but because they are the next hosts of the Winter Games in the French Alps in 2030.
Their flagbearers are snowboarder Chloe Trespeuch in Livigno and Alpine skier Clement Noel, also in Livigno,
United States enters the Games
It’s time for the biggest team at the Winter Olympics!
The 232-strong team (plus three alternates) is always up for Olympics, Winter or Summer.
The flagbearers are Speed Skating defending champion Erin Jackson and Bobsleigh athlete Frankie del Duca.
Between freestyle skiers Lindsay Vonn and Mikaela Schiffrin, and snowboarder Chloe Kim, they are ready to make headlines.
Say hello to Sweden
Scandinavian countries are always well represented at the Winter Olympics, and Sweden is no different.
They won seven gold medals in Beijing, and will be looking for something similar here.
Their flagbearers are Alpine Skier Sara Hector in Cortina, and Freestyle Skier Walter Wallberg in Livigno.
Hello Slovenia
Now it’s time for Slovenia to enter the Games.
We have more family connections here – Slovenia is very well known for its ski jumpers, and here we have two represented in the flagbearers.
In Predazzo, it’s brother-sister combination Domen Prevc and Nika Prevc.
That’s a pretty amazing effort from that family, although both their parents were competitive ski jumpers as well. You muight say it’s a bit of a dynasty.
Netherlands is here
One of the traditional teams at the Winter Olympics, Netherlands makes its entrance.
The flagbearers are Skeleton racer Kimberley Bos in Cortina, and Short track Speed Skater Jens van T’Wout in Milano.
New Zealand
A quick mention for our friends across the Tasman.
The New Zealand team has 17 athletes, and the flagbearers are freestyle skier Ben Barclay and snowboarder Zoe Sadowski Sinnott, who will be in the Snowboard Slopestyle and Big Air.
Norway is here
Norway gets a big reception. They have 80 athletes, but they get plenty of bang for their buck.
In Beijing four years ago, they topped the medal tally with 39 medals.
The flagbearers are Kajsa Vickhoff Lie from Alpine Skiing and Speed Skating great Peder Kongshaug.
Mexico makes an entrance
The Mexican team is five-strong — and 40 per cent of the athletes are from the same family.
Alpine Skier Sarah Schleper is the flagbearer in Cortina. Also with her there is her son, Lasse Gaxiola, also an Alpine Skier. In Milano, figure skater Donovan Carrillo is the other flagbearer.
MACE bringing the beats
Just a quick update on the music – MACE has switched it up, with the soundtrack now by turns pulsing and booming with beats.
It’s got me on my toes in the early morning here in Brisbane, I can tell you.
Israel gets a poisonous reaction
This crowd has been responsive all night, cheering the athletes throughout.
But they certainly made their feelings clear about Israel when their athletes marched into the San Siro.
Initial cheers were drowned out by the jeering whistles of disquiet so particular to Italian crowds when they’re upset.
A strong reaction.
Israel’s team is here
The Israeli team has made its entrance, with crews in a couple of centres.
Skeleton racer Jared Firestone is particularly fired up and excited in Cortina. There are fans being waved and the athletes are dancing through the ring as they enter.
The other flagbearer is figure skater Mariia Seniuk in Milano.
Ireland is here
There is a solid reception for the Irish team!
The flagbearers are Alpine Skier Anabelle Zurbay in Cortina, and Cross-Country skier Thomas Maloney Westgaard (in his third Games) in Predazzo.
It’s Great Britain
Lilah Fear leads out the British team for the Games.
Fear’s Olympics has already started, as the ice dancer took part in the team’s figure skating event last night Australian time.
The other British flagbearer is bobsleigh team member Brad Hall in Cortina. His group are particularly boisterous – they are having a lot of fun.
Welcome Jamaica
As always, one of the big cheers comes for Jamaica.
Cool Runnings may be several decades ago, but the Jamaican bobsleigh team are world-famous.
The flagbearers are Mica Moore (monobob), the only female member of the team, and Alpine Skier Henri Rivers IV.
Germany is here
Now we have one of the big hitters at any Olympics, Winter or Summer – Germany.
They receive a solid reception from the crowd as they make their entrance. There are 189 athletes in the team, again not all of them will be marching.
The flagbearers are Ski Jumper Katharina Schmid in Predazzo, and Ice Hockey player Leon Draisaitl in Milano.
There are lots of bucket hats on display, and a fair bit of whooping from the athletes.
Eritrea is here again
One of the smallest teams is Eritrea.
Alpine skier Shannon Abeda is the flagbearer for the African nation. He marches proudly in Livigno.
Denmark keeping it in the family
A smaller team is Denmark, but they received a solid response as well.
The two flagbearers are Ice Hockey player Jesper Jensen Aabo in Milano, and curling athlete Denise Dupont in Cortina.
It’s a proud moment for her family. Her sister Madeleine carried the flag for Denmark four years ago in Beijing.
South Korea are here
Another of the big groups, the Republic of Korea, or South Korea.
The flagbearers are both in Milano — speed skater Ji-Woo Park and figure skater Junhwan Cha.
Shoutout to MACE providing the parade soundtrack
While all the teams are making their entry in the various venues, don’t forget the music soundtrack.
Just as at the Paris Olympics where the DJs were a vital part of proceedings, this opening ceremony has someone on the decks.
MACE, the stage name of Simone Benussi, is one of the most influential producers in the contemporary Italian music scene 1 he is bringing it with his mix of electronic music, hip hop and sound design.
It’s fairly hypnotic.
dan