August 6, 2004

Three athletes nominated as finalists to carry the Canadian flag at the Paralympic Games.

(Canadian Paralympic Committee)

The Canadian Paralympic Committee is proud to announce the three finalists for the prestigious role of Flag Bearer during the Opening Ceremonies for the XII Summer Paralympic Games, to be held September 17th to 28th in Athens. The three nominees, women’s wheelchair basketball player Chantal Benoît (Orleans, ON), sprinter Earle Connor (Calgary, AB) and swimmer Elizabeth Walker (St. Catharines, ON), were chosen by a five-person selection committee.

The winner will be revealed on Wednesday, September 15th at the Pentelikon Hotel in Athens, as part of the “2004 Canadian Paralympic Team Pep Rally” in front of more than 260 guests and members of the media.

The chosen candidate will lead the Canadian delegation of 144 athletes during the Opening Ceremonies on September 17th in the Olympic Stadium at the OAKA sports complex.

Basketball player Chantal Benoît, originally from Beloeil, is one of the four most experienced players on the Canadian team, with this being her sixth appearance at the Paralympic Games. She needs no further introduction. Her path speaks for itself, including a gold-medal performance at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Paralympic Games as well as at the World Championships in 1998 and 2002. Despite all these honours, being named among the three finalists touched her.

“It’s great news for me. I’ve been playing for 21 years on courts all around the world. The feeling of being recognized is very nice, but it is also a reflection of my teammates. All the players of the national team contributed to our gold medal wins. It would be a very proud moment for me to carry the Canadian flag because Canada remains an undeniable leader on the international sports scene,” she stated.

The talented runner and world record holder in the 100m and 200m, Earle Connor, originally from Castlegar, BC and now living in Calgary, has never been one to cower in the face of adversity. This 2003 Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability says he is very pleased to be a finalist for standard-bearer.

“Just being among this select group of three athletes is one of the greatest honours of my career. All my years of hard work and effort are being recognized. To know that I am nominated by my peers is a very special feeling. I thank everybody. If I am ultimately selected, it will be wonderful since it will mark eight years from the day I had my first taste of the Paralympic Games, watching the events on TV,” gushed Connor, overwhelmed with emotion.

World record holder for 50m and 100m butterfly and as part of the 4x100m relay team, swimmer Elizabeth Walker considers carrying the Maple Leaf would be the “icing on the cake” at her fourth and final Paralympic Games. This swimmer, originally from Saskatoon, first competed at the Paralympic Games in Barcelona when she was just 15 years old.

“I was very surprised to be nominated because there are several others just as deserving. I have always given my all at each event and it’s all the better if I can inspire young people to join the Paralympic Movement. If I’m the winner, it will be an amazing feeling to carry the flag in front of my twin sister and my boyfriend who will be in the audience. I will also think of my family who will be watching on TV. I would say that all three deserve such an honour.”

A committee of five members of the 2004 Canadian delegation selected the three finalists from all the nominations. Each of the delegation’s 13 disciplines was allowed to nominate one athlete, not necessarily a participant in their sport. The committee will meet again in Greece to make the final selection which will be announced on Wednesday, September 15th in Athens.

In the past, the CPC announced the Flag bearer during the official team reception that was held a few days prior to the Opening Ceremonies. This announcement created an extraordinary atmosphere and was the height of the evening. This is the first time, in 2004, that the CPC is announcing the finalists in advance, responding to the athletes’ request to have more time to prepare for representing their country.

reprinted with permission