Sports·Photos

Canada's Olympic flag-bearers from MacLennan to Holloway

Adam van Koeverden, Simon Whitfield and now gold medal-winning trampolinist Rosie MacLennan. The 27-year-old three-time Olympian will be the first gymnast to lead Team Canada when the Games begin in Rio next month.

Rosie MacLennan is Team Canada's flag-bearer in Rio

(Ronald Martinez/Getty)

Trampolinist Rosie MacLennan will lead Team Canada in Rio. 

Canada's lone gold medallist at the 2012 London Olympics will carry the flag during the opening ceremony in Rio on Aug. 5. The Rio Games will be the 27-year-old's third Olympics. She will be the first trampolinist to carry the flag for Canada.

(Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty)

Simon Whitfield led Team Canada at London 2012.

The triathlete from Kingston, Ont., carried the Maple Leaf into Wembley Stadium in 2012 ― the same year he crashed mid-race, breaking his collarbone, and was forced to withdraw. He ran to a gold medal in the 2000 Games in Sydney, Australia, and won a silver medal in Beijing in 2008. 

Whitfield retired from competition after the London Games and now lives in Victoria, B.C.

(Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press) (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

Van Koeverden carried the flag in Beijing.

Three-time Olympic kayaker Adam van Koeverden was the flag-bearer at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, where he came in second. He also won a silver medal in London in 2012, and one gold and one bronze medal in Athens in 2004.

(Kevin Frayer/Getty and Gregory Bull/Associated Press)

Nic Gill was Canada's one, and only, judoka to lead the team.

Judo competitor Nicolas Gill was the flag-bearer in Athens in 2004. The two-time Olympic medal winner (Barcelona 1992 and Sydney 2000) from Montreal failed to qualify for the medal round that year.

(Michael Steele/Getty and David Guttenfelder/Associated Press)

Paddler Caroline Brunet lived up to the hype in 2000.

Brunet, from Quebec City, carried the flag to open the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where she won a silver medal in kayaking. She has also won a bronze in Athens in 2004 and a silver in Atlanta in 1996.

(David Guttenfelder/Associated Press)

Charmaine Crooks carried the flag in Atlanta.

Crooks didn't win a medal in 1996, her fifth consecutive Olympic appearance including the boycotted Moscow Games, but was well positioned to lead the team. She was made a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2013 and won a silver medal with the 4x400m relay team at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984. Here she is with the baton in Barcelona in 1992. 

(Hans Deryk/Canadian Press)

Michael Smith led the team in 1992 but pulled out due to injury.

Decathlete Michael Smith was chosen for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. He pulled a hamstring during his event and had to withdraw from the Games. He has won multiple gold medals at championship meets, including at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand, where he is pictured at right.

(Ron Poling/Getty and Eileen Langsley/Popperfoto/Getty)

Carolyn Waldo carried the flag and won two gold medals.

Synchronized swimmer Carolyn Waldo, who performed in solo and pairs events, carried the flag into Seoul's Olympic Stadium in 1988 before going on to win two gold medals. She was the first Canadian to win two golds at a single Olympic Games.

(Bill Grimshaw/Canadian Press and David Guttenfelder/Associated Press)

Swimmer Alex Baumann bore the flag in 1984. 

Canadian Olympic swimmer Alex Baumann was the flag-bearer at the Los Angeles Games in 1984. He set two world records and left Los Angeles with two gold medals. 

(Dave Buston/Associated Press and Bob Thomas/Getty)

Sue Holloway was named flag-bearer at the 1980 Moscow Games.

Sprint kayaker and cross-country skier Sue Holloway was named Canada's flag-bearer in 1980 but, due to the boycott that year, didn't actually march in the parade of nations. She earned a medal in the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and participated in the Winter Olympics in 1976. She was induced into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame this year. 

(Mike Ridewood/Canadian Press) (Mike Ridewood/The Canadian Press)