The red and white flag has landed in Glasgow, Scotland, where 265 athletes will represent Canada at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. From lawn bowling to wrestling, track and field to cycling, here are some Canadian names you should be watching closely.
Jennifer Abel and Pamela Ware
Syncro Divers
Age: 22, 21
Born: Montreal and Greenfield Park, Quebec
Event date: July 30 at 2:36 p.m. (EDT)
Photo: Michael Sohn/AP
Two-time Olympian Abel is joined by partner Ware. The two joined forces last season and have won nine medals in 12 international events, including silver in the three-metre syncro event at the FINA World Cup diving competition. Abel will look to hold onto her title in both the one-metre and three-metre synchro springboard this year.
Marie-Eve Beauchemin-Nadeau
Weightlifter
Age: 25
Born: Candiac, Quebec
Event date: July 29 at 11:30 a.m.
Photo: Mike Groll/AP
She won silver at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in the 75-kilogram category. She will again focus on that event this year, after finishing eighth at the 2012 Olympics in the 69-kilogram category.
Ryan Cochrane
Long-distance Swimmer
Age: 25
Born: Victoria, British Columbia
Event date: July 24 at 5:47 a.m. and July 28 at 6:39 a.m
Photo: Manu Fernandez/AP
Cochrane is no stranger to medals. He owns two Olympic medals (silver and bronze) and two Commonwealth gold medals, which he won in the 400m and 1,500m freestyle four years ago. He also has six career world championship medals in the 800m and 1,500m.
Derek Drouin
High Jumper
Age: 24
Born: Sarnia, Ontario
Event dates: Prelims on July 28 at 6:10 a.m.
Photo: David J. Phillip/AP
Drouin holds the Canadian high jump record of 2.40m, a feat that only 10 men have ever jumped outdoors. The 24-year-old won bronze at both the London 2012 Olympic Games and 2013 World Championships.
Roseline Filion and Meaghan Benfeito
Syncro Divers
Age: 27, 25
Born: Laval and Montreal, Quebec
Event date: July 31 at 7:06 p.m.
Photo: Michael Sohn/AP
Together, the two 10m synchro divers won their first bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Since then, they’ve won seven more medals together, including a bronze at the 2012 Olympics and 2013 World Championships.
Brittany MacLean
Freestyle Swimmer
Age: 20
Born: Etobicoke, Ontario
Event date: July 24 at 6:12 a.m. and July 29 at 5:33 a.m.
Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/CP
Not only did MacLean win the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle, but she also set a national record for the latter. At the 2012 Olympics, she finished seventh in the 400m.
Catharine Pendrel
Cross-country Mountain Biker
Age: 33
Born: Fredericton, New Brunswick
Event date: July 29 at 6:31 a.m.
Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert/AP
Pendrel is the current world champion, 2007 Pan American Games champion and 2010 World Cup champion in the cross-country mountain bike. She finished ninth at the 2012 Olympics and fourth at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Katerine Savard
Butterfly Swimmer
Age: 21
Born: Pont-Rouge, Quebec
Event date: July 26 at 6:19 a.m. and July 28 at 6:25 a.m.
Photo: Sean Kilpatrick/CP
Savard has broken more than a few records with her Butterfly. The senior Canadian records in the 50m and 100m (long course pool) are hers, along with the Canadian junior record in the 200m. She also holds records in the short course pool for Canada in the senior 100m and junior 200m.
Brianne Theisen-Eaton
Heptathlete
Age: 25
Born: Humboldt, Saskatchewan
Event date: July 29 at 5:30 a.m.
Photo: David J. Phillip/AP
The London 2012 Olympian holds the Canadian record for the pentathlon and heptathlon and recently came second at the 2013 World Championships. As a junior, she won gold at the Pan American Junior Championship in 2006.
Damian Warner
Decathlete
Age: 24
Born: London, Ontario
Event date: July 28 at 5:07 a.m.
Photo: Jeff McIntosh/CP
Warner first started in the decathlon in 2010 and captured silver that year at the Canadian championships. From there, he finished fifth at the 2012 Olympics and won bronze at the 2013 World Championships.