MUM was the word for Ireland’s flagbearers Sarah Lavin and Shane Lowry.
The 100m hurdler and golfer have been given the honour of holding the tricolour for tonight’s Opening Ceremony.
The pair were told in advance of the Olympics and admitted they had to keep it from their nearest and dearest as long as possible.
That was to avoid word getting out before this morning’s official announcement at the Irish Cultural Centre with An Taoiseach Simon Harris present.
Lavin – Limerick’s sole member on the 133-strong Team Ireland – said: “I found out a few weeks ago now.
“I was crying when I found out initially.
“The hardest person to try and keep it a secret was my mother!
“I knew it was going to eat her up.
“As the week was coming in, my godmother would be on the phone – her sister – and she’d say, ‘One second I need to run it by Sarah’…‘Okay but make sure nobody outside the house know!’
“I think it was kept kind of quiet until this morning, but it was a tough one for the parents to hold.”
And Lowry added: “I was the same!
“I didn’t tell my Mum until the other day.
“It would have been in the Tullamore Tribune a couple of weeks ago if I did!
“I told a couple of people. Neil Manchip, our team manager here, he obviously knew.
“Some of my team knew, I kept it as quiet as I could.
It’s a huge honour, something I’m very excited to be part of.”
The pair are confident it will not be a distraction with Lowry not in action until Thursday with Lavin’s heats taking place on Wednesday week.
Lavin said: “There are a lot of distractions, this is the Olympic Games.
“This is just simply an honour, and one of the greatest every Irish sportsperson could have.
“To carry the Irish flag on the centenary anniversary, it’s incredibly special.
“I don’t think there are many honours you could be given in life that can match up to this.”
BOOST
And for Offaly man Lowry it was a perfect pick-me-up after a disappointing third round scuppered his chances at The Open.
He said: “As a golfer and a sportsperson I live day to day, last week was the Open, it nearly went according to plan.
“Straight after that it was in my head to go and redeem myself in a couple of weeks in Paris, but obviously I have today as well.
“It’s a really nice distraction to have.
“Don’t get me wrong, the first few days of this week were hard, I was a bit sour, and you’re waking up in the morning wonder what you could have done differently.
“But the excitement that’s around something like this, to be honest I’m looking forward to getting down to the Village now and seeing the excitement around the whole place and yeah, living it up for the next 24 hours. It will be cool.”
It is only the second time that Ireland have had two flag-bearers with boxers Kellie Harrington and Brendan Irvin given the honour in Tokyo.
Among the others flying the flag for their country here are USA pair LeBron James and Coco Gauff.
Team Ireland members will share Boat 28 with Iraq for the Opening Ceremony which takes place on the River Seine.