OLYMPIC GAMES
Tokyo Olympics: Who should Canada's flag bearer be for the closing ceremony?
De Grasse, Flemming, Warner, Sinclair and Labbé among the potential athletes to hold the honor of being Canadian flag bearer at the closing ceremony.
As the Tokyo Olympics comes to an end at Sunday’s closing ceremony, some countries have made public their closing flag bearers. However, Canada is not among them.
This year’s games have been unique in many ways, and closing ceremony decisions will also be different to the previous years. Due to pandemic safety protocols, athletes must leave Tokyo a maximum of two days after their last appearance, meaning that lots of remarkable Canadian athletes such as swimmers Penny Oleksiak and Maggie Mac Neil, who both made incredible debuts at this summer’s Olympics, are already at home and therefore unable to join the list of potential flag bearers for the closure.
As for athletes who still remain in Tokyo, those who sound louder to hold the honor are mostly from the track and soccer field.
Andre De Grasse | Sprinter
Six-time Olympic medalist De Grasse has raced to his first-ever golden medal in the 200-metre breaking the time record with his 19.62 at the run. His performance achievement was also the third time in history Canada wins the event, having been nearly a century since Percy Williams won last gold for Canada in 1928's 200 m competition.
In addition, De Grasse stamped his name in history once more with the bronze medal won with Aaron Brown, Brendon Rodney and Jerome Blakeat at men's 4x100m relay. This medal made him become the first Canuck sprinter to win three medals in the same Games.
Damian Warner | Decathlon
Having been Canada's first-ever decathlon gold winner settling a new Olympic record of 9,018 points, Warner is the unquestionable world's best all-around decathlete, leaving a historic all-around final to remember.
Reaching 9,000 points in the decathlon competition is something stunning in the decathlon world. It is so surreal to achieve that just four athletes have ever been able to surpass it, becoming Warner the fourth to stamp his name in the Olympic history, besides those who were also able to achieve that goal.
To put things into perspective for those who are not great decathlon fans, Warner's performance was so good that would have achieved bronze in the men's long jump single event, and would nearly have him qualify among the ten fastest men for 100 m racing.
Furthermore, he also claimed an Olympic record in the 110-metre hurdles with his 13:46 timing, and a personal-best in pole vault.
Christine Sinclair | Canadian women's soccer team captain
Four-time Olympian and Canada's soccer face for WNT has finally become a very much deserved Olympic champion after Canada's gold in women's soccer.
Canada's leader for the last two Olympics, where the team acheve back-to-back bronzes, also led the national campaign to "change the colour of its medal". The team's collective effort was awarded on the golden game against Sweden, with a Canadian smashing victory on Friday.
Icon Sinclair's legacy will follow on for decades, with the actual gold team as a testament for that long-term soccer influence as most of the young stars from the team grew up following her footsteps.
Having previously held the honor of being flag bearer on 2012, there is no better way to circle her career than for Sinclair to fly the Canadian flag at Tokyo's closure.
Jessie Fleming | Canadian women's soccer midfielder
Canada’s gold dream wouldn't have been possible without the power of Feming's right kick.
After putting her hand up three times for taking penalties— first, in semi-finals against USA, to do the same thing in the gold match against Sweden — and nailing it in all critic moments, Fleming's bravery and ultimate brilliance could be a good reason for the Canadian athletes to vote for her.
Stephanie Labbé | Canadian women's soccer team goaltender
The soccer goalkeeper was a key element in the gold winning of Canada's women soccer as she managed to stay calm, cool strength during the crucial penalty kicks that got Canada through the semi-finals against USA and the ones that gave them the gold medal at the finals against Sweden. She managed to make the greatest saves in the most important moments.
Labbé demonstrated her great talent and clinic eye for reading shooters, in what has been her last Olympic Games with the national team. It would be an amazing way to conclude her soccer career.