Alisa Camplin-Warner was spoiled for choice.
With six medallists at Australia's most successful Winter Olympic Games and a whole host of hugely impressive performances outside the medal winners, there were plenty of candidates to carry the Australian flag at the closing ceremony.
But in the end, it was no surprise moguls champion Cooper Woods and aerials silver medal winner Danielle Scott were selected, two athletes who Camplin-Warner said "personified the iconic team of 2026".
In fact, the only people surprised were the athletes themselves, when Camplin-Warner snuck up behind them during what they thought was a routine photo shoot.
"She snuck up on us," Scott said.
"She surprised us, we both got conned in there just getting some photos done on the [Olympic] rings and then she's surprised us and announced it, so it was really cool."
"Yeah, actually the whole staff was in on it," Woods, Australia's seventh Winter Olympic champion, added.
"Which is really funny, but what a beautiful surprise."
Woods was endearingly emotional about being selected, his voice cracking as the snow poured down outside the Livigno media centre where he had been displayed to reporters.
"It means everything," he said.
"I said this yesterday, it means more than the medals, all the glory and fame.
"This is like, it's one of the best things you can do in sport, to fly that flag for your country, so I'm super excited."
Scott, who set a personal best score for her double Full-Full-Full in the individual moguls competition to win silver, then bettered that with a 120.20 in the mixed team event earlier on Saturday, said it was "the icing on the cake".
"It's an absolute privilege," the four-time Olympian said.
"I think for me personally, these Games have just grown into the best it could have and the icing on the cake now is being given this opportunity.
"To represent such a successful winter team is unbelievable."
Woods, who sparked the gold rush for Australia with his spectacular victory in the moguls, said watching the cascade of medals falling onto the shoulders of Australian athletes after him had been inspiring.
"Every day to watch them throw down or go their fastest and just represent the country the best they can," Woods said.
"It's been super inspirational, I've loved watching everyone perform."
Woods is now a recognisable face in Australian sport, a fact that is going to take getting used to.
"It's actually been really overwhelming," he said.
"I don't even know what it's like back at home. My family just got back. We're from a small town, Merimbula, and I think my brother's become a bit more famous.
"It's really cool. I've had some wonderful people reach out and … I still want to keep my head on straight.
"I am still Cooper Woods and I want to make sure that none of this actually changes anything."
Scott said having had such a successful Games, the only way was up for the Australian winter sports teams.
"When you're watching one of your friends achieve such amazing things, it only motivates you and helps you to believe you can do it also," she said.
"I think the team out there today is just so excited to get back on that water ramp [in Brisbane] and to push their jumping forward now because they've seen what we can do.
"And the sky's the limit. So for me, I'm happy to be a part of that and I kind of can't wait to get back in."
Scott secured her first Olympic podium finish earlier this week, following a career-high top score of 117.19 in the women's aerial skiing final.
The closing ceremony takes place at the Arena di Verona on Monday morning AEDT.
The 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheatre pre-dates the Colosseum and has already been the site of Australian sporting success, when Jai Hindley won the 2022 Giro d'Italia.
Now, it will reverberate to the end of a superb Winter Olympics for Australia.
