BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Canada has named Olympic and world champion kayaker Adam van Koeverden as the flag bearer for Friday¡¯s opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, according to a press release by the Canadian Olympic team here on Thursday.
The entire Canadian contingent of 332 athletes will be led to march into the Beijing National Stadium, dubbed the "Bird Nest" dueto its unique design, on Friday evening. Canada will be the 63rd team to march following Ghana.
There have been four roster changes to the Canadian Olympic team since it was officially named on July 23. The team size grew to 332total athletes after the International Tennis Federation extended a quota position to singles player Frank Dancevic, who is ranked 114th world-wide. Also added to team were football's Jodi-Ann Robinson (replacing Amber Allen), baseball's Emmanuel Garcia (replacing Pete Orr) and James Avery (replacing Scott Richmond).
Among the 332 athletes are members of five team sports that Canada has qualified for Beijing, namingly the men's basketball, the men's water polo, the women's softball, the men's field hockey and the women's soccer.
Nine athletes who reached the podium in Athens 2004 are back in 2008. They are van Koeverden (gold and bronze, kayak), Kyle Shewfelt (gold, artistic gymnastics), Alexandre Despatie (silver, diving), Marie-Helene Premont (silver, cycling), Karen Cockburn (silver, trampoline), Tonya Verbeek (silver, wrestling), Jake Wetzel (silver, rowing), Emilie Heymans (bronze, diving) and Blythe Hartley (bronze, diving).
Canada is also sending several current world champions in their respective sports to Beijing, including Karine Sergerie, a 2007 taekwondo world champion; swimmer Brent Hayden, 2007 world champion in 100m freestyle; Tyler Christopher, gold medallist this year in 400m at the world indoor track and field championships; kayaker Adam van Koeverden, world champion in the K-1 500m; and the men's eight rowing team that took gold at the 2007 World Championships.
The country's veteran leadership is most prominently displayed in a number of athletes who have been to four or more previous Olympic Games. They are led by equestrian standout Ian Millar who has tied a world record with his ninth Games and rower Lesley Thompson-Willie who will compete in her sixth Olympic Games, with four medals to her credit.
Others include trap shooter Susan Nattrass (sixth), race walker Dr. Tim Berrett (fifth), slalom kayaker David Ford (fifth), judoka Keith Morgan (fourth), tennis player Daniel Nestor (fourth) and fencer Jujie Luan (fourth).
The 29th Olympiad will start on Aug. 8 and run through to 24.
