Two of Canada’s most decorated athletes to ever strap on the steel will lead the nation’s athletes into next month’s Winter Olympics.
Figure skaters Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir were named Tuesday as Canada’s flag bearers for the opening ceremonies in PyeongChang, South Korea.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the selection at a news conference on Parliament Hill. The pair will lead Canada’s contingent of roughly 230 athletes into the opening ceremonies on Feb. 9.
“The privilege of carrying the flag comes with great responsibility that we do not take lightly,” Virtue said in a news release. “We commit to embodying the values and standards that make Canada such a special place, and vow to embrace the Olympic spirit in its purest form.”
The duo is the first pair in Canadian Olympic history to lead a team into an opening ceremony. The 2014 flag bearer was women’s hockey legend Hayley Wickenheiser.
“Being named flag bearers for Canada is the highest honour of our careers, and we couldn’t be more grateful to the [Canadian Olympic Committee] for their belief in us,” Moir said.
“We will be marching into the opening ceremony with a strong, confident and inspired team of Canadian athletes — a group that will fearlessly represent our great nation on the world’s biggest stage.”
Virtue and Moir have medalled at virtually every level, age and stage in their careers: a world junior title in 2006; silver in the senior championships in 2008; bronze at the 2009 World Championships and silver in the 2014 Olympics.
They were the first North Americans — and youngest competitors — to win ice dance gold at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
Their 2016-2017 season was flawless: the pair went undefeated on the International Skating Union (ISU) circuit, winning their first title at the ISU Grand Prix Final and collecting their third career world title.
