Nicholas Bennett and Brianna Hennessy named Canada's Paris 2024 Paralympic closing ceremony flag bearers
The closing ceremony takes place on Sunday at Stade de France.
Para swimmer Nicholas Bennett and Para canoeist Brianna Hennessy have been named Canada’s flag bearers for the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The two athletes, both competing in their second Paralympics, have combined for four medals in Paris, and Hennessy is still set to compete in one more Para canoe event on Sunday before the closing ceremony at Stade de France.
Bennett, 20, won three medals in four events in the pool — two golds and a silver. He won a silver medal in his first event, the men’s 200m freestyle S14, before winning Canada’s first gold medal of Paris 2024 in the men’s 100m breaststroke SB14. He then set a Paralympic record in the 200m individual medley SM14 final, becoming the first Canadian male swimmer to win multiple gold medals at a single Paralympic Games since 2004.
“Being the flag bearer is such a monumental occasion,” said Bennett in a press release from the Canadian Paralympic Committee. “Being able to hold the flag and represent all the athletes that have competed is just another level of amazement for me that I have been able to achieve at these Paralympics.”
Hennessy won Canada’s first-ever Paralympic medal in the sport of Para canoe earlier on Saturday, in the women’s single 200m VL2 event. She will have another chance to get onto the podium on Sunday, in the women’s single 200m KL1.
The 39-year-old only started competing in Para canoe in 2020, but made Team Canada for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games a year later, and has now reached the podium in her second trip to the Games.
“What a remarkable honour to be chosen to lead so many phenomenal heroes across our nation that have powered through so much adversity,” said Hennessy in a press release. “Together, we are a symbol of an incredible celebration of our abilities in motion. We are one heartbeat, that I would describe as a magnificent phoenix rising up from the ashes, whose courage soars past all obstacles in its path – its feathers shimmering with bright Canada red and white feathers in its wings.
“Tomorrow we will celebrate being proudly Canadian as one big team.”
The closing ceremony will take place at Stade de France in the French capital on Sunday and is set for 2 pm through 5 pm ET. Canadians can watch it live on CBC in English or Radio-Canada in French.
To catch up on every Team Canada athlete and story at Paris 2024, click here.
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