Van Dyk, 38, made no attempt to mask her joy when chef de mission Dave Currie announced at a New Zealand team function tonight she would be the leader at Delhi.
She gushed at the microphone when addressing her teammates.
"If you think playing against Australia is nerve-wracking flip, try standing here - it's amazing. What a massive honour to be the flagbearer for our wonderful team this year."
She remained on a high when telling journalists how much it meant to her to inherit a task performed by Olympic gold medalists Hamish Carter and Sarah Ulmer at the last two Games.
"It is amazing, there's not a lot of people who have this opportunity, so I think my heart skipped a few beats," she said. "You can't ask for anything better."
Her Silver Ferns teammates matched her joy, rising as a black-clad mass of screaming delight when the tall shooter was given the job of leading New Zealand into the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium this evening.
Laughing as always, van Dyk said she would ensure the marching order placed the Silver Ferns at the head of the Games team.
"They will be like a force behind me. I just need to make sure I don't fall over."
In naming van Dyk, who won gold at Melbourne four years ago and silver in Manchester in 2002, New Zealand matched Australia, who selected netball captain Sharelle McMahon to bear their flag.
Currie said van Dyk, who attended the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur for South Africa, had all the character traits needed .
"What we want is someone the team are happy to go into battle behind, and someone who displays all the qualities we hold dear as New Zealanders - grit, determination, courage, never give up, and someone to draw strength from adversity, and who does it with humility and humour."
Van Dyk had all those qualities and more, he said.
Van Dyk, who will play her 100th New Zealand test at Delhi, was told of her honour yesterday, yet managed to keep it secret.
She had been "stoked" when McMahon had been named Australian flagbearer.
"I think most New Zealanders would put Sharelle on a pedestal too because of who she is. I'm absolutely stoked for her."
She did not accept that this honour now meant she had done it all in sport, saying she would like to win another Games gold, another world title and play in the same team as her daughter.
"There's heaps to look forward to. It's definitely not the end of it."
Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken said she was "hugely proud" as van Dyk was a wonderful role model.
"She genuinely takes a real interest in everyone, and she's a magnet for people. She will continue to do that. She will be Irene as usual - the lovely thing is she'll be our figurehead, she'll make everyone feel special."
Silver Ferns Casey Williams suspected van Dyk would be flagbearer, as she was right person for the job.
"And now that I know, I'm so proud of her and I'm proud to know her and for her to be part of the team. It gives you a bit of adrenalin. My heart is going quite fast."
