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Veteran triathlete Simon Whitfield of Victoria, British Columbia, will be the Canadian Olympic team flag bearer for the Opening Ceremony at the London Games.

"It was a huge thrill for me to receive the call from my Olympic hero, Mark Tewksbury, asking me to be Canada's flag-bearer," said Whitfield. "Once I got over the shock of how cool it was that Mark called, my thoughts turned to all of the incredibly talented Canadian athletes on this team. It's an honor to have the opportunity to carry our flag while representing the sport of triathlon, but more importantly, it's a privilege to be the one who will lead this amazing team of Canadian athletes who have dedicated their lives to achieving their Olympic dream and represent our nation on the world's greatest sporting stage."

A two-time Olympic medalist, Whitfield won gold in the triathlon in 2000 and picked up a silver four years ago.

He was the flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony at the 2000 Games in Sydney.

Canada will send 277 athletes to these Olympics to compete in 26 sport disciplines.