Canada’s most decorated male Olympian, Andre De Grasse, has been chosen by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) to carry the flag for Team Canada at the Paris 2024 opening ceremonies on July 26. On Wednesday, the COC announced that De Grasse will carry the flag alongside women’s weightlifter Maude Charron. Both are defending Olympic champions in their respective events.
Two reigning Olympic champions will carry the Canadian flag into the Opening Ceremony for Paris 2024! https://t.co/w0R2M9Yhzp
— Team Canada (@TeamCanada) July 24, 2024
De Grasse has never carried the Canadian flag at an opening or closing ceremony, and Paris marks the third time he will represent Canada at the Olympic Games. He will again be a medal contender in the men’s 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay. Despite this being his third Olympics, this will be his first time attending the opening ceremony.
When asked if he would do Team Canada the honour of serving as flag bearer, De Grasse’s response was: “That would be a dream come true for me. I never thought that opportunity would ever come, you know, because of course being in track and field, we never get a chance to really go to the opening ceremony. So I mean, I’m excited just to even go and now to be the flag bearer for the country! I’m speechless–I’m trying to get the words out.”
The Markham, Ont., native has won six medals at the last two Olympic Games (one gold, two silver, and three bronze). He is the only sprinter in the world to win an individual medal in the men’s 100m at the last two Olympic Games. His 200m gold medal finish at Tokyo 2020 was the first Canadian Olympic gold on the track in 25 years and the first in the 200m in 93 years.
The 29-year-old has been a consistent podium finisher at major championships, winning a medal in every Olympic and World Championship final he competed in from 2015 until the 2023 World Championships. He finished sixth in the men’s 200m world championship final in Budapest.
De Grasse has returned to top form this season, winning his first national 100m title since 2017 at the 2024 Canadian Olympic Trials in Montreal in late June. Two weeks later, he ran his fastest 200m time of the year at the Gyulai István Memorial Continental Tour meet in Hungary, clocking his first sub-20-second time since the Diamond League final in September 2023.
He will begin his Paris 2024 campaign in the men’s 100m heats on Saturday, Aug. 3, with the men’s 200m and 4x100m events coming later in the week.
