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B.C.’s Simon Whitfield named Canada’s Olympic flagbearer

Oct 20, 2009
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<p>Whitfield was introduced to the crowd by one of his boyhood idols, gold-medal-winning swimmer Mark Tewksbury, chef de mission for the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team. He says he was overwhelmed to get the call from Tewksbury and immediately went for a run toward the Terry Fox monument along the TransCanada highway.</p><p>
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“To receive a phone call from one of your childhood idols and tell you you are* the Olympic flag-bearer, to lead your country, teammates, and fellow Olympians into the stadium, it’s overwhelming,” said Whitfield. “When I get overwhelmed, I go for a run.”</p><p>
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He said he thought of various Canadian athletes on his run. Many of them were also considered as worthy flag-bearers. He thought of boxer Mary Spencer’s 5 a.m runs, the athleticism of trampolinist Karen Cockburn and wrestler Carol Huynh. He thought of the pressure on Canada’s rowers to win and his faith in captain Christine Sinclair and her leadership of the women’s soccer team. He revered show-jumper Ian Millar’s 10 Olympic appearances by respectfully calling him ‘sir’.</p><p>
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The 37-year-old triathlete from Victoria won a dramatic Olympic gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as the sport debuted at the Games, a surprise victory from a young athlete coming seemingly out of nowhere at the time. The enduring Canadian then earned silver eight years later in Beijing.</p><p>
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“Simon Whitfield is truly a fitting representative of this year’s team and how they see themselves which, in their own words, is fierce, proud, world-class, relentless, unbreakable,” said Tewksbury, saying he polled athletes on the kind of qualities they wanted in a flag-bearer.</p><p>
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Whitfield carried the nation’s flag in the closing ceremony in 2000 but has never done so in an opening ceremony. London will be his fourth Olympics. The opening ceremony takes place July 27.</p><p>
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“Simon Whitfield is triathlon in Canada,” added Stephen Holmes, president, Triathlon Canada. “But more importantly, Simon is an incredible father, husband, friend, teammate, and true Olympic role model both on and off the playing field. I can’t think of a more fitting tribute to the man who is the reason our sport is where it is today than to have him lead Canada’s Olympic Team into the Opening Ceremonies.”</p><p>
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Several Canadian athletes reacted instantly on Twitter.</p><p>
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“Congrats @simon whitfield, Canada's flagbearer,” said Cockburn “You inspired me in Sydney, excited to march with you in London.”</p><p>
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“The most inspiring dude I know,” said kayaker Adam van Koeverden, the 2008 flag-bearer. “@simon whitfield is our FlagBearer and I couldn't be more proud.”</p><p>
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Photo From: (Fred Chartrand/THE CANADIAN PRESS)</p>

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