14 Days to go.Danielle Goyette, a member of the Canadian women's hockey team, has been chosen as Canada's flag-bearer for the Torino Games.
Goyette will carry the flag at the opening ceremony in Turin, Italy, on Feb. 10.
"I will carry our flag for all the athletes," Goyette said at a news conference in Calgary. "I know that all of your hands will be with mine as we walk into that stadium."
Goyette, a native of St-Nazaire, Que., was a member of Canada's gold medal-winning women's hockey team at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City. She was the leading goal-scorer on the squad that won silver in 1998 in Nagano.
Considered one of the pioneers of women's hockey, more from the CBC on her storied career.
Traditionally, the Canadian flag-bearer is a respected and successful athlete. This year, the field of candidates was narrowed when a few top athletes asked their sport federations not to nominate them for the honour. Some were concerned that carrying the flag would be a potentially strenuous and unnecessary distraction that could hurt their medal chances. Among the athletes who asked not to be nominated were Olympic gold medal cross-country skiing star Beckie Scott, world champion bobsledder Pierre Lueders, and Olympic speed skating medallists Cindy Klassen and Clara Hughes.
Goyette said she never considering withdrawing her name from consideration but empathizes with those that did.
"It's a personal choice and only the athletes know what they need to do to be at their best," she said. "I know pretty much all of them and I'll be behind them 100 per cent."
I have no problems with the decision of the athletes who choose not to bear the burden and endure the stress of being the flag-bearer. Carrying a flag in the opening ceremony isn't as important as raising the Maple Leaf at the medal ceremonies, so lets give these athletes all the opportunity to prepare themselves so that they can be at their peak when it counts. Go Canada!
Hopefully Goyette can join Catriona Le May Doan, Canada's 2002 flag-bearer, who won gold in speedskating as an athlete that can escape the ravishes of the "flag bearer curse". The previous two selections, moguls skier Jean-Luc Brassard and figure skater Kurt Browning, failed to earn a medal despite going into the Olympics as favourites.
I also found this cute side link at the cbc.ca/kids sites. This site offers a look at the olympics for kids. I like their reporting team of Dodger and Phil,
Later,
Kenaz
