Poulin, Hamelin named Canada's flagbearers for Beijing Olympics opening ceremony

Feb 2 2022, 1:00 pm

Canada has selected its flagbearers for the 2022 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

And the Canadian Olympic Committee couldn’t have picked two more successful athletes, with hockey star Marie-Philip Poulin and short track speed skater Charles Hamelin chosen to march with Canada’s flag at Friday’s opening ceremony.

The pair has eight Olympic medals between them.

Poulin won a pair of gold medals in 2010 and 2014, while winning a silver medal back in 2018.

But that’s an understatement of how strong her Olympic performances have been: she scored both goals in the 2010 gold medal game, and added two more ā€” the game-tying goal and the game-winner in overtime ā€” in the 2014 gold medal game.

ā€œEvery time you wear that maple leaf, it is so much bigger than yourself. You just become part of a bigger family. Being named flag bearer, I feel like I need to pinch myself. Iā€™ve been able to watch Charles over the last couple of decades and watching him succeed, I will be very honoured to be walking besides Charles carrying the flag,” Poulin said. “Itā€™s hard to put into words but to now be the one with the smile on my face, it is truly an honour.ā€

Hamelin, meanwhile, has picked up a total of five medals in each of the last four Olympics, including a pair of golds at Vancouver 2010 and one more at Sochi 2014.

ā€œEvery time I would walk into an Opening Ceremony, I would look at the flag bearer as a role model. To be named flag bearer is something I can now check off my to do list,” Hamelin said. ” Marie-Philip is an incredible athlete but more than that, sheā€™s an incredible human. I see her as a leader and an inspiration. Iā€™ll be one lucky man carrying the maple leaf alongside her at the Opening Ceremony.ā€

Catriona Le May Doan, Canada’s dhef de mission for the games and a three-time Olympic medallist herself in speedskating, asked the pair to carry the flag via a video call.

The Olympics have unofficially actually already begun, with mixed doubles curling kicking off this morning. Poulin and Canada play their first game this evening at 11:10 pm ET/ 8:10 pm PT against Switzerland, while short track speed skating kicks off this Saturday.

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