Mikaël Kingsbury and Marielle Thompson, prominent athletes gearing up for their fourth Winter Games, have been chosen as Canada’s flag-bearers for the opening ceremony on Feb. 6 in Italy. The Canadian Olympic Committee revealed this decision, highlighting that Kingsbury and Thompson will lead their freestyle skiing and snowboard teammates in Livigno. The opening ceremony will occur simultaneously in Milan’s San Siro Stadium and the mountain clusters of Cortina and Predazzo, making it the most widespread Games in Olympic history.
Canada’s team, comprising over 200 members, along with athletes from 92 other countries, will be accommodated in six Olympic villages spread across 22,000 square kilometers in Northern Italy. Kingsbury, a renowned moguls skier with three Olympic medals and 100 World Cup victories, expressed his pride and excitement at being selected as a flag-bearer. Thompson, a 33-year-old ski cross racer from Whistler, B.C., who previously clinched gold in 2018 and silver in 2022, is making a strong comeback from a knee injury sustained last season.
The opening ceremony will be broadcast live on CBC-TV, starting with the pre-show at 1:30 p.m. ET, with full coverage available for streaming on CBC Gem and the CBC Olympic website. Kingsbury and Thompson mark the third pair of athletes from different sports to receive the flag-bearer honor, following an amendment by the International Olympic Committee in 2021.
Kingsbury, who recently achieved his 100th World Cup win, is looking forward to his final Olympics, aiming to secure a medal in both moguls and dual moguls events. Thompson, despite facing multiple knee surgeries, is determined to excel at the Games and add to her impressive skiing career accomplishments. The duo’s selection as flag-bearers reflects their dedication and achievements in the sport, making them proud representatives of Team Canada at the upcoming Winter Games.