OTTAWA, ON, Feb, 19, 2022 – Ottawa’s Isabelle Weidemann carries Team Canada’s flag at Beijing 2022. It is only fitting as Weidemann started the games winning Canada’s first medal when she took bronze in the women’s 3000m long track speed skating at the Ice Ribbon.
“It’s such an honour to be carrying the Canadian flag in the Closing Ceremony. It’s just been such a crazy end to such an unbelievable week here at the Olympics. I’m just so, so honoured,” said Weidemann.
Six days later, Weidemann won a silver medal in the 5000m. Those were the first Olympic medals long track speed skating medals won by a Canadian woman in 12 years.
But Weidemann didn’t stop there, capturing Gold with her team pursuit squad alongside Ivanie Blondin and Valérie Maltais. That made Weidemann Canada’s first triple medallist of Beijing 2022. She was later joined by short track speed skater Steven Dubois, who also won a medal of each colour, including a gold in the 5000m relay that boosted teammate Charles Hamelin into a tie for Canada’s most decorated Winter Olympian with his sixth career medal.
Meanwhile, Team Canada walks out for the closing ceremonies of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, they do so finishing fourth overall with 26 medals in total. Canada won four Gold, Eight Silver and 14 Bronze, while first place Norway won 37 medals, second place ROC won 32 and Germany finished just one medal above Canada with 27. The United States came fifth with 24 medals.
“As we celebrate our Olympians and their 26 medals, let us also recognize the years of training, sacrifice, and perseverance it took them to get this far and the many challenges they’ve had to overcome, including the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeay. “With courage and dedication, all members of Team Canada delivered incredible performances at this year’s Games, inspiring Canadians of all ages.
“Team Canada also made history this year by being the most gender-balanced team ever to represent our country at the Winter Olympic Games – with a total of 106 women and 109 men,” said Trudeau.
“We look forward to rallying behind our athletes once again for the 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, beginning on March 4,” added Trudeau.
As the ceremony was coming to an end on Sunday, a huge snow flake, which also carried the Winter Olympic flame, was lowered down and finally went out, marking the end of the Beijing 2022 time as well as the start of the four-year countdown for the next winter games in Milano-Cortina 2026.
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