Olympic champions Steven Dubois and Valérie Maltais named Team Canada’s Milano Cortina 2026 Closing Ceremony flag bearers
MILAN (February 21, 2026) – The Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced Olympic champions Steven Dubois and Valérie Maltais as Team Canada’s Milano Cortina 2026 Closing Ceremony flag bearers.
Milano Cortina 2026 is the second Olympic appearance for Dubois and the fifth for Maltais. Dubois won short track speed skating gold in the men’s 500m and silver in the mixed team relay. Maltais won three medals in long track speed skating – gold in the women’s team pursuit and bronze medals in the women’s 1500m and 3000m races.
For Dubois, a three-time medallist at Beijing 2022, the Olympic title won in the men’s 500m at Milano Cortina came after a difficult start to the season, suffering a hip injury and returning to training just weeks before the opening stop of the ISU World Tour in Montreal. The perseverance and determination that Dubois displayed throughout the season and throughout the Games was rewarded with two medals at Milano Cortina, making him a five-time Olympic medallist.
Maltais’ bronze in the women’s 3000m was Team Canada’s first medal won at Milano Cortina 2026. Her success continued with gold in the women’s team pursuit (alongside teammates Isabelle Weidemann and Ivanie Blondin) and bronze in the 1500m, her first medal at that distance. Maltais and her teammates defended the gold they won in the women’s team pursuit from Beijing 2022. Maltais is now a five-time Olympic medallist, with medals in both long track and short track speed skating. She is one of only three five-time Olympians on the Canadian Olympic Team for Milano Cortina 2026.
QUOTES:
“I am incredibly proud of Steven and Valérie, and indeed, the entire Team Canada 2026, a remarkable group of Canadian athletes. They arrived in Milano Cortina ready to not only compete but to show Canada what sporting excellence is all about. As our Closing Ceremony flag bearers, Steven and Valérie represent the best of what each member of Team Canada brought to these Games. They are an inspiration to all Canadians.”
– Eric Myles, Chief Sport Officer, Canadian Olympic Committee
“One of the greatest honours of serving as Chef de Mission is informing the athletes that they’ve been selected as flag bearers. Being a Canadian Olympian has never been only about performance; it’s about how you pursue excellence, how you lift those around you, and how you represent something bigger than yourself. Steven and Valérie embody that. They reflect what it truly means to wear the maple leaf; to compete with ambition, carry yourself with humility, and show up for Canada on and off the field of play.”
– Jennifer Heil, Team Canada’s Milano Cortina 2026 Chef de Mission
“Steven and Valérie have been shining stars at these Games both on and off the ice. Not only through their electrifying gold medal winning races, but also their resilience and positivity throughout the Games. The Closing Ceremony with Steven and Valérie as our flag bearers will be a celebration of the unique and amazing journeys of all of our incredible athletes.”
– Tricia Smith, President and four-time Olympian, Canadian Olympic Committee
“I came into these Games and really wanted to enjoy the experience and bathe in the Olympic spirit. There is no better way to enjoy and experience this than being the flag bearer for your country. This is a bonus and it means a lot; it’s the cherry on top to represent every Canadian athlete who has worked so hard to get here.”
– Steven Dubois, Team Canada flag bearer, Milano Cortina 2026 Closing Ceremony
“I’m really proud, and I’m accepting this role really humbly because I know there are so many great athletes on this team. I think my Games were more than what I expected, and I celebrated every medal, every moment. I feel that I did this with all of Canada, the crowds and my family who were in the stands.”
– Valérie Maltais, Team Canada flag bearer, Milano Cortina 2026 Closing Ceremony
A recap of Team Canada’s performance at Milano Cortina 2026 will be published following the end of the final competition Sunday, February 22nd.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Manny Almela
Team Canada’s Press Operations Lead
WhatsApp: +1 (647) 385-7785
E: malmela@olympic.ca
Vanessa Lee
Team Canada’s Press Chief
WhatsApp: +1 (514) 216-1417
E: vlee@olympic.ca