The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced that freestyle skiers Mikael Kingsbury and Marielle Thompson will represent the country as Team Canada’s flag bearers for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.
Both will be making their fourth Olympic appearance in Italy, with Kingsbury medalling at his three previous Games, including one gold and two silver. After claiming silver at Beijing 2022, Kingsbury became the first male moguls skier to ever win three Olympic medals. Thompson is a two-time Olympic medallist, claiming gold at her Olympic debut for Sochi 2014 and silver at Beijing 2022.
For the first time at the Games, there will be two Olympic cauldrons. Milano Cortina 2026 will introduce an innovative approach to two traditional rituals, the lighting and extinguishing of the Olympic cauldron. These moments symbolize unity among nations and the global athletic spirit, will be multiplied.
In recent decades, including Paris 2024, some preliminary events have taken place before the Opening Ceremony due to logistical reasons.
The Opening Ceremonies will take place Friday, Feb. 6 at 12:30 p.m. Saskatchewan time and can be viewed on CBC.
Read more at Olympic.ca