The Canadian Olympic Committee announced Wednesday that weightlifter Maude Charron and sprinter Andre De Grasse will be Canada’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Friday.
They succeed Miranda Ayim and Nathan Hirayama, who were Canada’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Damian Warner was then flag bearer during the closing ceremony.
Charron won gold at the Tokyo Games in the 64kg weight class, a category that has since been eliminated by the International Olympic Committee.
The Rimouskoise will therefore participate in the Paris Games in the under 59 kg category.
For his part, De Grasse is Canada’s most decorated male athlete in Summer Games history, with six medals.
The Ontarian won gold at the Tokyo Games in the 200 metres, silver in the 4 x 100 m relay and bronze in the 100 m. De Grasse had also won three medals five years earlier, at the Rio Games in 2016.
De Grasse struggled with injuries after the Tokyo Games but will hope to shine again on the biggest stage in international sport.
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics will take place on Friday. Contrary to tradition, the athletes will not parade in a stadium, but rather on boats along the Seine.
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