Charles Hamelin鈥檚 teammates were speculating recently about who might carry Canada鈥檚 flag into the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
Hamelin had a hard time keeping a straight face.
Marie-Philip Poulin was finally able to break the good news earlier this week to her teammates, who wrapped their team captain up in a celebratory group hug.
Canada鈥檚 women鈥檚 hockey captain, and one of the world鈥檚 most decorated short-track speedskaters were named Canada鈥檚 flag-bearers for Friday鈥檚 opening ceremony, and the two shared a laugh about how hard it was to keep a lid on the good news.
鈥淧eople on my team were discussing it, 鈥楨h, who do you think it鈥檚 going to be?鈥欌�� Hamelin said, with a chuckle. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥業t could be anyone. Maybe it鈥檚 you.鈥� It was just fun to keep it to myself 鈥� I think I told them two or three days ago, and people were really, really happy for me.鈥�
Poulin said sharing the news with her team was 鈥渁 nice moment. I think the reaction said it all. It was very special.鈥�
In a country that churns out Winter Olympic stars, Poulin and Hamelin are two of Canada鈥檚 finest, with nine Olympic appearances and eight medals between them.
Poulin, a 30-year-old from Beauceville, Que., scored the game-winning goals at both the 2010 and 2014 Olympics. Known as 鈥淐aptain Clutch,鈥� she鈥檚 also a two-time world champion, scoring the golden goal for Canada at the 2021 world tournament.
Poulin follows in the footsteps of Hayley Wickenheiser (in 2014) and Danielle Goyette (2006), both women鈥檚 hockey stars who carried the Maple Leaf.
鈥淚 was lucky enough to see them play, but also being able to play with Hayley. She鈥檚 paved the way for all women,鈥� Poulin said. 鈥淚鈥檓 honoured to be one of them, to be a model for the young ones coming in. It is very special. Right now it鈥檚 slowly kicking in, that feeling, and it鈥檚 pretty special.鈥�
Hamelin, a 37-year-old from Sainte-Julie Que., is a winner of five Olympic medals, including three gold, tying him for Canada鈥檚 most decorated male winter Olympian.
鈥淚 never said to myself, 鈥極ne day I want to be the flag-bearer of Canada,鈥欌�� Hamelin said. 鈥淏ut for me to be here is the greatest honour of all. And to see all the young kids and being one of the leaders of the team, for me I take my role seriously.鈥�
Retired long-track speedskating star Catriona Le May Doan, who is Canada鈥檚 chef de mission in Beijing, delivered the good news to the duo a couple of weeks ago, saying the Zoom call to them was 鈥渙ne of the best things I鈥檝e been able to do, and it was very emotional.鈥�
Le May Doan carried the flag into the 2002 Games in Salt Lake City.
鈥淏eing named flag-bearer continues to be one of my most cherished and proud Olympic moments of my career,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 remember walking into that stadium, it was five months after 9/11. There was a lot of things that we鈥檇 overcome in 2002. Walking into that stadium in Salt Lake City, it will be 20 years this week, it鈥檚 hard to believe, it still brings me chills.鈥�
Athletes had their fair share to overcome to get to Beijing, which will open amid strict health and safety protocols around COVID-19. After two years of training facility closures and travel restrictions, just testing negative to travel to Beijing was a huge and unexpected hurdle to clear.
Plus, the spectre of China鈥檚 alleged human rights violations hang over these Games.
Poulin and Hamelin were asked if they had intended to march in the ceremony regardless, and if they鈥檇 considered not marching as a gesture to the human rights issues.
鈥淚 just think that we worked really hard for so long,鈥� Hamelin said. 鈥淚鈥檓 in my fifth Games, (Poulin) is in her fourth. To have the honour to march in the opening ceremonies, as all the athletes would do, is something unique, it鈥檚 something that we look forward to for four years. It鈥檚 like a little gift that people give us.
鈥淚n my mind, if you have a chance to do it, you have to do it.鈥�
Ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir carried Canada鈥檚 flag into the opening ceremony four years ago in Pyeongchang, while basketball veteran Miranda Ayim and rugby sevens player Nathan Hirayama shared flag duties at the Tokyo Olympics this past summer.
The Opening Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, 7 a.m. ET, at the National Stadium 鈥� or the Bird鈥檚 Nest 鈥� in Beijing.
鈥擳he Canadian Press
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