Anna Meares feels "giddy" about appointing the Australian flag bearers for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
This will be the first time Meares, an all-time cycling great, will be Australian team chef de mission at an Olympics.
She said one of the perks of the role is to decide who will carry the Australian flag on July 26.
As with Tokyo, it will be shared - one male, one female team member.
Meares, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, carried the flag at the 2016 Rio Olympics opening ceremony and cherishes the honour.
"This was a real penny-drop moment for me, when I realised ... I get to choose the flag bearers," she said.
"I remember when I was asked by Kitty Chiller to carry that flag for Rio, it took immense pressure off me ... it gave me a sense of freedom, to be able to go into my fourth (Olympic) campaign and enjoy my sport.
"The longevity, the character, the charisma, the personality, the community support - there are a lot of elements that go into what I'm looking for, for those who will be flag bearers.
"I feel a bit giddy about the moment that I will be able to have that conversation with those athletes, when that time comes - it's a pretty special and privileged thing to be able to offer."
Meares is confident team members will come together well, while acknowledging heightened tensions on topics such as the Middle East.
"It comes down to understanding that they are all there, together, as part of the Australian Olympic team," she said when asked about having Jewish and Muslim team members.
"We are a multicultural country, we know that, and these are very hard times for a lot of people.
"So there is emotion, there is despair and it's with empathy and respect that we have to consider our voice and how we use it.
"There's a lot of eagerness to come together in this team."
Likewise, while athletes can protest on issues at the Games, Meares said there is an expectation it will not happen on the field of play or at medal ceremonies.
Meanwhile, Meares detailed some of the extra measures that will be in place for Australian athletes, such as their own barista at the Paris team HQ.
"Don't be surprised if other nations are going to copy that - they were very envious of our barista in Tokyo," she said.
Also in Paris, there will be a pantry of Australian non-perishables such as Vegemite and Weet-bix.
"That little taste from home is available," she said.
