Tasmanian track cyclist Georgia Baker was anointed Australia’s closing ceremony flag bearer after wrapping up her third Commonwealth Games with a seventh career medal.

Moments after landing a silver medal in the elimination race in Glasgow, the 31-year-old from Perth was handed the honour by Chef de Mission Petria Thomas.

Baker completed a full set of medals at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome having already won golds in the team pursuit and scratch race plus bronze in the points race, four years after winning three golds in Birmingham, and was delighted to be named flag bearer.

“I’m so, so proud,” she said.

“It feels like a dream. It’s one of the biggest honours of my career, I think, to be trusted to carry the Australian flag out. A lot of weight on my shoulders but I’ll manage it!”

The Launceston-born triple Olympian said the honour made her reflect on her entire cycling career.

“As soon as I got told I just remember being the young girl getting up at all hours of the morning watching Australia walk out in the opening and closing ceremonies of Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games and now for it to be me, I’m so proud and honoured.

“Luckily, from Tassie I never felt like we were disadvantaged at all. If anything, I have so many people behind me, encouraging me, and I can really feel that. Being here in Glasgow I can definitely feel the support from Tassie.”

Having earlier helped Victorian Alyssa Polites win the elimination race, Baker was delighted to share the moment with her Australian team.

“I take so much pride in watching the younger ones like Alyssa have success like today. It gives me just as much joy as me winning, so I’m loving it.

“To celebrate with some of my closest friends as well and then the whole team that I’ve been around since I was really young, I couldn't have asked for anything more.

“I think now I can cherish it a bit more. When I was young it was always about chasing the next result. I’m still really hungry for it, but I’m just enjoying it, loving it and savouring every moment.”

Thomas said Baker was an obvious choice as closing ceremony flag bearer.

“She is very deserving of the honour,” she said. “She’s had a great cycling meet here and a wonderful career. It was a privilege and pleasure to have that conversation with her. She was very surprised, I think.

“She’s fantastic and has had a great meet here with multiple medals and has been a fantastic rider for Australia.

“You're not just looking at performance, you're looking at the way they are with their team and fit into the broader Australian team as well and she certainly ticks all those boxes.

“You can see by the way the other girls reacted how loved she is within this team. That says a lot about her as a person and she lets her performances do the talking on the track.

“From a Comm Games perspective she is amazing, she’s right up there. Anna Meares is an absolute legend of Australian sport, not just cycling, and to draw level with Anna on medal count is just incredible. She has done her country proud.”

Baker completed her Glasgow schedule with a silver medal behind Polites in the elimination race, with Canadian Maggie Coles-Lyster taking bronze.

Australia dominated the event and had all three starters still in contention in the closing stages with South Australian Sophie Edwards finishing ninth.

Polites attacked off the front at the penultimate elimination and held on to win with Baker able to cruise round the final two laps waving to the crowd en route to silver before celebrating the Australian one-two.

“I’m stoked,” she said before paying tribute to 23-year-old Polites.

“I’m just so rapt for her, she really does deserve it. She keeps thanking me but she deserves it so much.

“She had really good legs today, you could see that. She was really smart and made the perfect move when she had to.

“We knew we had to look after each other and I think we did a good job of it out there. It’s always hard to control a bunch like that in an elimination but I felt like we had control for a lot of the race. To finish with us both on the podium was just perfect.”

Polites was quick to return the compliment.

“I didn’t even think it was a possibility,” she said. “Such a stacked field and when you've got idols in your team like G, I can’t believe it, I was in disbelief when I crossed the line.

“She’s an absolute superstar and I can only hope I’m a little bit of a slither of her when I grow up. Thank you so much G.”

Among those celebrating Baker’s achievements in Scotland was mum Dearne who told Channel Seven: “I’m so happy and proud of her, I couldn't wait to give her a cuddle.

“It’s been a big journey but a credit to her. We’re just here to support her."

Reflecting on her daughter’s lengthy cycling career, she added: “There’s been lots of downs and some great celebrations. We went to Moscow for junior worlds and it was unbelievable. She won a gold medal and everything has just escalated from there.

“It doesn’t matter if she gets a result, I just love watching her, even though I get so nervous. Georgia hasn’t been on the track for a while so it was a bit of an unknown, but she’s done a really great job and I’m super proud.”

Baker is the second Tasmanian to be named as a flag bearer. Hockey star Eddie Ockenden shared the honour with squash player Rachael Grinham at the 2022 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in Birmingham and did the same with slalom canoeist Jess Fox two years later at the Paris Olympics.

Australia completed Glasgow 2026 with the most track cycling medals in its Commonwealth Games history. A haul of 10 gold, 10 silver and eight bronze surpasses the 20 medals Australia won, also in Glasgow, in 2014.