Canadian Olympic gold medalists Marie-Philip Poulin of Beauceville, Quebec and Charles Hamelin of Levis, Quebec have been named the flag bearers for Canada in the Opening Ceremonies of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing on Friday according to the Canadian Press. Poulin won a gold medal in women’s hockey at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. Hamelin won a gold medal in the men’s 500 metres and the men’s 5000 metre relay at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver, and a gold medal in the men’s 1500 metres at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
In addition to winning two Olympic gold medals, Poulin won the Olympic silver medal in women’s hockey at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. Hamelin meanwhile won Olympic silver in the men’s 5000 metre relay at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin and the Olympic bronze medal in the men’s 5000 metre relay at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang.
Poulin becomes the eighth hockey player all-time to carry the flag for Canada in the Opening Ceremonies in the Olympic Winter Games. She follows Ernie Collett of York County, Ontario at the 1924 Olympic Winter Games in Chamonix, John Porter of Toronto, Ontario at the 1928 Olympic Winter Games in St. Moritz, Hack Simpson of Winnipeg, Manitoba at the 1932 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, Walter Kitchen of Toronto, Ontario at the 1936 Olympic Winter Games in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Hubert Brooks of Bluesky, Alberta at the 1948 Olympic Winter Games in St. Moritz, Danielle Goyette of Saint-Nazaire, Quebec at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, and Hayley Wickenheiser of Shaunavon, Saskatchewan at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.
Hamelin meanwhile is the second short track speed skater to be the flag bearer for the opening ceremonies of an Olympic Winter Games. He follows Sylvie Daigle, who was the flag bearer for Canada at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville.
