Being the flag bearer for Canada at the Olympics is one of the largest honours you can received as an athlete from this country. With the Paris 2024 opening ceremony coming up on July 26, there has to be a decision made as to who will carry the flag this year.
There a lot of deserving athletes who can make a case they deserve the honour this year. From former gold medalists to first-timers, Canada is sending a lot of decorated athletes to this year’s Olympics.
Here are nine good options that Canada can pick from to carry the flag at the Paris opening ceremony.
1. Andre De Grasse
Likely the most famous Canadian sprinter at the moment, Andre De Grasse will be competing in his third Olympics. He already has six medals, including a gold at Tokyo 2020 in the 200 meter.
He’s never carried the flag for Canada before and is already one of their most decorated Olympians. De Grasse has a lot of expectations for this year’s events, and giving him the flag would be a decision that few could take issue with.
2. Damian Warner
Paris 2024 will be Damian Warner’s fourth Olympics. He won a gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games in the decathlon and has an additional bronze.
Warner did carry the Canadian flag at the Tokyo 2020 closing ceremonies which means that he might be out of the running here. However, his resume speaks for itself as it’s quite impressive.
3. Summer McIntosh
Summer McIntosh is just 17 years old, yet she is already one of Canada’s best swimmers of all time. She participated in her first Olympics at just 14-years-old and this year’s Games will be her second.
While she finished just shy of the podium at the Tokyo 2020 events, she’s since managed to win a lot of medals at other international competitions. McIntosh has a bright future ahead of her, and giving her this honour will be huge for someone that’s still a teenager.
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Perhaps the most famous athlete on this list, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an NBA star who finished second in MVP voting last season. He’s going to be the face of the team this season as Canada looks for a historic result on the court.
With the Canadian men’s basketball team having a great chance at their first medal since the Berlin 1936 games, this could be the year to put the team in the spotlight.
5. Phil Wizard
Phil Wizard will be representing Canada in breaking, a new sport that’s been added to the Olympics this year. He has a good chance of winning the gold medal and will give fans a good introduction to this new sport.
He was one of two flag bearers for the closing ceremony at the Santiago 2023 Pan Am Games. If Canada wanted to add some energy to their delegation at the opening ceremony, Phil Wizard could be the perfect pick.
6. Penny Oleksiak
Penny Oleksiak is Canada’s all-time most decorated Olympic athlete, with a whopping seven medals. The swimmer is still just 24 years old, and this summer’s Paris 2024 Games, her third, will likely see her add even more medals to her collection.
Oleksiak did carry the flag at the Rio 2016 closing ceremony and thus already got her chance. However, her resume and achievements are so impressive she could be worthy of getting another one.
7. Mohammed Ahmed
33-year-old Mohammed Ahmed is one of the more experienced Olympians heading to Paris for Canada. This will be his fourth game, and he’s already in the record books as the first Canadian ever to win a medal in a long-distance running event, claiming silver in the 5000-meter race at the Tokyo 2020 Games. He also finished fourth in the event at the Rio 2016 Games.
He’s never carried the flag, and if Canada wants to reward someone who has been to many Olympics and is an experienced veteran, letting Ahmed carry the flag would be a nice gesture.
8. Maggie Mac Neil
Maggie Mac Neil heads to her second Olympics looking to add to the three medals — one of each colour — she won at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Another big performance at the Paris 2024 Games would make the swimmer one of the most decorated Canadian Summer Olympians ever, and she’s not yet 25 years old.
9. Katie Vincent
Canoe/Kayak sprinter Katie Vincent is another pick to carry the Canadian flag. She won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Games and is seen as having a solid chance to reach the podium once again in Paris.