Olympic champions Mikaël Kingsbury and Marielle Thompson named Team Canada’s Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony Flag Bearers
TORONTO (January 28, 2026) – On Wednesday, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced that Olympic champions Marielle Thompson and Mikaël Kingsbury will be Team Canada’s flag bearers for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony. Both flag bearers will be participating in the Opening Ceremony at Livigno Snow Park.
MEDIA AVAILABILITY DETAILS:
11:00 am ET: Virtual media availability with Marielle Thompson. Please RSVP to communications@olympic.ca if you are attending.
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4:00 pm ET: Virtual media availability with Mikaël Kingsbury. Please RSVP to communications@olympic.ca if you are attending.
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Milano Cortina 2026 will be the fourth Olympic Games for both Kingsbury and Thompson, who made their Olympic debuts at Sochi 2014. The two athletes were given news of their selection by Olympic champion Jennifer Heil, Team Canada’s Milano Cortina 2026 Chef de Mission, and Eric Myles, COC Chief Sport Officer.
“Marielle and Mikaël’s results speak for themselves, but this honour is really about who they’ve been day in, day out throughout their careers. They’ve embodied the Olympic spirit in the most demanding of sports, showing extraordinary longevity, resilience, and grit through every challenge thrown their way,” said Heil. “Just as importantly, they lead by example and elevate everyone around them. They’re outstanding leaders for this team and truly deserving recipients of this honour.”
Marielle Thompson won gold in women’s ski cross at Sochi 2014, sharing the podium with silver medallist teammate Kelsey Serwa. She competed at PyeongChang 2018 just four months after undergoing surgery for a ruptured ACL and MCL. In her first race after the injury, she posted the fastest time in the Olympic qualification round before being eliminated later in the competition. Thompson returned to the Olympic podium at Beijing 2022 where she captured the silver medal, less than a year after suffering another ACL tear, which again required reconstructive surgery.
“Being asked to carry the Canadian flag is one of the highest honours in my Olympic journey. There are so many amazing athletes to select from, so to be chosen is really kind of unbelievable, but just very special,” said Thompson. “Mikaël and I have been to each Olympics together and we’re the same age, so we’ve kind of come up together in this sport. I think we’ve definitely got some camaraderie and it’s very cool to be sharing this honour together.”
Thompson, who hails from Whistler, B.C., made her World Cup debut in December 2010. She was just 19 when she earned her first World Cup gold medal in February 2012 on Canadian soil at Blue Mountain. She ended the season with six World Cup podiums, earning her the overall World Cup title in women’s ski cross. This made her the first Canadian ski cross racer to win a Crystal Globe. Now at 33, Thompson has 36 career World Cup wins, four Crystal Globes and three World Championship podium finishes. This past weekend, she earned her 74th career World Cup podium, which ranks her second of all-time in ski cross.
Thompson is also a member of the Canadian Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission since 2024, and is an International Ski Federation (FIS) Ski Cross athlete representative.
Mikaël Kingsbury has medalled at all three Olympic Games he has competed in. His first, a silver at Sochi 2014, saw him share the podium behind fellow Canadian Alexandre Bilodeau. Kingsbury was crowned an Olympic champion with his gold medal win at PyeongChang 2018, making Canada the first country to win the same freestyle skiing event at three straight Games. With his silver medal at Beijing 2022, Kingsbury became the first male moguls skier to ever win three Olympic medals.
“Being named flag bearer is one of the greatest honours I’ve ever received. It’s truly special to do so alongside an exceptional athlete like Marielle, especially since we got our start in our sport around the same time,” said Kingsbury. “I’ll try to enjoy it all, live in the moment as best I can, because I know it’s going to go by really fast, and it’s something I’ll be able to remember for the rest of my life.”
Earlier this month, the 33-year-old from Deux-Montagnes, Que., became the first athlete to reach 100 World Cup victories in freestyle skiing when he won the men’s singles moguls event on home soil at Val St-Côme, Que. His other major moguls milestones include a record 29 Crystal Globes and nine consecutive overall freestyle titles from the 2011-12 through 2019-20 seasons. Kingsbury will have two medal opportunities at Milano Cortina 2026 as the dual moguls event has been added to the Olympic program.
“It has been wonderful to watch these two champions grow over the past three Olympic Winter Games with Team Canada, and throughout their careers,” said Eric Myles, COC’s Chief Sport Officer. “Whether it be through triumph or challenge, Marielle and Mikaël have been the kind of leaders who always set an example and inspire those around them. I can’t wait to see them proudly carry our flag into the Opening Ceremony at Milano Cortina 2026.”
A full list of Canadian Olympic Winter Games flag bearers can be found here.
“Congratulations to Canada’s flag bearers on being selected to proudly wave the maple leaf at the Opening Ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games,” said The Honourable Adam van Koeverden, Secretary of State (Sport). “This incredible honour is a powerful recognition of your achievements, leadership, and the pride you inspire throughout the country. As you lead Team Canada onto the world stage, please remember that you have the support of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.”
Team Canada’s Flag Bearer Selection Committee is composed of one athlete representative selected by the COC Athletes’ Commission, Sydney Payne; Milano Cortina 2026 Chef de Mission Jennifer Heil; COC President, Tricia Smith; COC CEO and Secretary General David Shoemaker; and COC Chief Sport Officer Eric Myles, who is a non-voting member. The COC does not disclose the number of athletes nominated nor the details of the selection process.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Samantha Sokol
Team Canada Milano Cortina 2026 Press Officer
C: +1 (647) 385-7107
E: ssokol@olympic.ca
Kristen Lacelle
Media Attaché for Freestyle Skiing
Freestyle Canada
C: +1 (613) 852-7816
E: kristen@freestylecanada.ski
Mark Halliday
Media Attaché for Ski Cross and Alpine Skiing (Men’s)
Alpine Canada
C: +1 (416) 315-1409
E: mhalliday@alpinecanada.org