John Shuster and Brittany Bowe Chosen as Team USA Flag Bearers for 2022 Winter Olympics

John Shuster, Brittany Bowe
John Shuster, Brittany Bowe
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images (2)

Team USA has revealed its two flag bearers ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.

John Shuster and Brittany Bowe will carry the American flag during the Parade of Nations at Friday's opening ceremony, Today reports.

Speed skater Bowe, 33, has been tapped to replace Elana Meyers Taylor in the ceremony. Taylor, a 37-year-old bobsledder who has won medals in the past three Winter Olympics, had to step down from her flag-bearing duties after testing positive for COVID-19, according to Today.

Elana Meyers Taylor
Elana Meyers Taylor

Tom Pennington/Getty Images for Team USA

RELATED: 1 in 3 Americans Say They Feel 'Very Patriotic' During the Olympics, Survey Finds

Taylor — who personally called Bowe to inform her she would be holding the flag in the Parade of Nations, told Today, "I can't think of a better honor, other than walking by myself, than having the opportunity to give to Brittany."

For more on the 2022 Winter Olympics, listen below to our daily podcast on PEOPLE Every Day.

She added, "Brittany is an absolutely amazing human being."

Bowe, a three-time Olympian, explained that she had chatted with Taylor earlier that day after learning the speedskater had tested positive for the virus. Despite her test results, Taylor is asymptomatic, Today reports.

"To get called into the (U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee) room for a phone call, and then it was Elana on the phone, presenting me with the honor of carrying the flag on her behalf — what an honor, a privilege," Bowe told Today. For once, completely at a loss for words."

RELATED: Beijing Olympics Will Have Robot Waiters Delivering Dishes from the Ceiling

Shuster, 39, is making history as the first curler to carry the U.S. flag during the opening ceremony, according to USA Curling. Shuster, who is a five-time Olympian, told Today it was an honor to be chosen as a flag bearer at this year's Olympics.

"To get to lead all the rest of these amazing athletes ... we're going to do us proud," he said. "It's one of the biggest honors that I've ever had bestowed upon me."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Team USA congratulated the official flag bearers in a tweet Wednesday morning, writing, "The honor of a lifetime. Congratulations to @Shoostie2010 and @eamslider24 for being elected #TeamUSA's Opening Ceremony flag bearers at the #WinterOlympics."

This year's Winter Olympics opening ceremony takes place Friday at National Stadium, or "The Bird's Nest," in Beijing. Live coverage of the Winter Olympics begins Friday at 6:30 a.m. ET on NBC.

The network will air an "enhanced primetime presentation" of Friday's Opening Ceremony later that day beginning at 8 p.m. ET.