Closing Ceremony flag bearer honours bestowed on Boutin

February 24, 2018

Triple Olympic medallist Kim Boutin will carry the Canadian flag into Sunday’s Closing Ceremony at PyeongChang 2018.

The short track speed skater became just the fourth Canadian athlete and only the second Canadian woman to win three medals at a single Olympic Winter Games.

She is also just the second woman to stand on the podium in all three individual short track speed skating events at one Winter Games.

Kim Boutin wins bronze during the Short Track Speed Skating Women’s 1500m of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Ice Arena on February 17, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea (Photo by Vincent Ethier/COC)

An Olympic rookie, Boutin began her Games with a bronze in the 500m on Day 4. That was followed by a bronze in the 1500m on Day 8 and a silver in the 1000m on Day 13.

Each time she stepped onto the podium during the nighttime medal ceremony at the Olympic Plaza, she charmed everyone, but especially Canadians, as she let her emotions show. When she shared the 1500m podium with South Korea’s gold medallist Choi Minjeong, the two skaters who had been fierce competitors throughout the World Cup season formed a heart with their hands.

Kim Boutin of Canada receives the bronze medal for the Short Track Speed Skating Women’s 1500m at the PyeongChang Olympic Plaza during the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea on February 18, 2018. (Photo by Vincent Ethier/COC)

Boutin was representative of a changing of the guard in Canadian short track speed skating in PyeongChang. As Charles Hamelin and Marianne St-Gelais prepare to say goodbye to the sport, Boutin and Samuel Girard stepped up, ensuring that Canada’s success would continue.

The only other short track speed skater to carry the maple leaf at a Closing Ceremony was Nathalie Lambert at Albertville 1992. At those same Games, Sylvie Daigle had been the Opening Ceremony flag bearer.