Gagné named flag bearer for Nanjing Closing Ceremony
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PHILIPPE GAGNÉ NAMED CANADA’S FLAG BEARER AT NANJING 2014 YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES CLOSING CEREMONY
Team Canada finished the competition with 8 total medals (4 silver and 4 bronze).
NANJING, CHINA – After 13 days of wonderful international competition, the Canadian Olympic Committee, today unveiled the young athlete who led Team Canada into the Closing Ceremony of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. Philippe Gagné (Montreal, Quebec) is Canada’s only double-medallist in Nanjiing, winning silver in the men’s 10-metre tower and bronze in the men’s 3m springboard.
This year marked the second Summer Youth Olympic Games, a multi-sport and cultural celebration, where nearly 170 nations qualified at least one athlete for the Games.
“It just feels great being chosen as the flag bearer. I came here expecting just one medal. The fact that I got two and chosen as the flag bearer just feels amazing,” said Gagné. “It’s like a dream come true. I cannot be happier right now.”
The Closing Ceremony brought together more than 3,500 athletes, coaches and support staff from all over the world to celebrate what has been a tremendous display of sportspersonship by the next generation of athletes. These Games also emphasized the need for friendship and a better cultural understanding, and therefore placed a substantial amount of effort on creating meaningful interactions between athletes from varying countries.
“I am so proud of our Canadian athletes’ performance here in Nanjing. These Games fulfilled our sport mandate and our athletes competed with grit and determination,” said Sandra Levy, two-time Olympian (Field Hockey) and Nanjing 2014 Chef de Mission for Team Canada. “I think many of them grew an inch after experiencing a true Olympic experience. Thank you NYOCOG for putting on an outstanding Games!”
“This is the real deal, this is a big deal! How do we expect our kids to succeed on the international stage if we don’t give them opportunities to compete against the world’s best? This is the right kind of thing,” added Jeff Houser, a coach with Canoe-Kayak Canada.
“Congratulations to Philippe and all of our athletes and coaches who have competed in Nanjing. I had the opportunity to visit each of you at the beginning of these Games and your energy was palpable. You are all such wonderful talents and I couldn’t be more excited for the future of sport in Canada,” added Marcel Aubut, President, Canadian Olympic Committee.
Lillehammer will be the host for the 2nd Winter Youth Olympic Games in February 2016. For a full recap of the Games biggest Canadian moments, please visit: www.olympic.ca.
(Photo credit: NYOCOG)
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This document is also available at www.olympic.ca