TOKYO — Women's basketball player Miranda Ayim and men’s rugby sevens player Nathan Hirayama have been named Canada's flag-bearers for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
The reveal of who would lead Canada into the Games was made this morning by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Tokyo will be the third and final Games for Ayim, who made her Olympic debut at London 2012 and announced she would be retiring after Tokyo.
Ayim and the fourth-ranked women’s basketball team start their quest for Canada's first ever medal in the sport next Monday.
Hirayama is the captain of Canada's men's rugby sevens team and helped the squad capture two gold medals and a silver at the last three Pan American Games.
Canada's men's sevens team is making its Olympic debut in Tokyo and starts play Sunday.
Trampoline champion Rosie MacLennan carried the Canadian flag at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 19, 2021.
The Canadian Press