Sixteen days to go?!
Seriously? Sixteen days away seems like tomorrow. Is it time to panic? Shouldn’t I be packing or something?
No, it’s not time to freak out, but the Olympics are just around the corner. On the water this morning I asked my coach, Scott Oldershaw, "Doesn’t that seem crazy? That’s like two weeks."
"Better get crackin’", he replied sarcastically, since we’ve obviously been crackin’ for months (well, years actually).
I don’t actually count days or worry about how little time I have left. I have no reason to worry; training is ticking along very well, I feel fitter than ever, and I’m enjoying every second of the hard work. It’s just that I remember reading "160 days until Beijing" not that long ago and thinking to myself, "Crap, that’s less than six months away; I’d better get crackin’," even though I already was. I only noticed the number 16 because of the nod Randy Starkman gave me in his article regarding potential flag-bearers. Thanks Randy!
There are a lot of great candidates, that’s for sure, and each has a uniquely distinct CV to back up why they’re deserving of such a great honour. It’s one part of the Olympics which is really not a competition, but unfortunately it usually gets treated like one. I’d be incredibly proud to march behind any of the names that have been mentioned.
Triathlete Simon Whitfield is one of my greatest idols and a good friend. Nothing made me want to go to the Olympics more than watching him rip that finish-line tape down and stomp on it in Sydney (I was watching from my mom’s basement though, not the Sydney Opera House). He carried the flag at the Sydney closing ceremonies, as I was proud to in Athens, and usually you just get to do it once.
Diver Alex Despatie is another great candidate and another good friend. He’s an Olympic silver medalist, multiple-world champion, and probably the most recognizable Canadian Olympic athlete, especially to the diving-fanatical Chinese.
Gymnast Kyle Shewfelt is yet another great friend and candidate, though he (very reasonably) said he wouldn’t do it. He competes the very next day and obviously walking around for hours on his freshly-healed knees isn’t going to make him any stronger, springier or bouncier for his floor routine. Watch his Athens routine, it’s so incredible.
Sixty-one-year-old equestrian Ian Millar, the grandpa of the team, is yet another icon worthy of consideration. This will be his ninth Olympic Games; his first was 1972, 10 years before I was born. He embodies the Olympic spirit and I’d be honoured to march behind such an incredible athlete.
Trampolinist Karen Cockburn is a two-time Olympic medalist and these will be her third games. She’d make an awesome flag-bearer, as would Athens Olympic silver medalist mountain biker Marie-Helene Premont. We’ve also got Daniel Nestor, recent Wimbledon doubles champion and Sydney Olympic Champ, we’ve got Ryder Hesjedal currently riding with Team Garmin at Le Tour de France, and track’s 1500m phenom Kevin Sullivan. Plus, there are about 310 other good candidates.
The flag-bearer – along with the entire Canadian Olympic Team – gets announced Wednesday (Update: Van Koeverden will carry the flag) and while I don’t envy the Canadian Olympic Committee’s job of having to choose just one, I’ll be honoured to march behind any Canadian Olympian waving our maple leaf.