RIO DE JANEIRO – Penny Oleksiak wants to stay in Rio for Sunday’s closing ceremonies at the Summer Olympics. She may have good reason to do so.
Canada’s winner of four medals in the pool – including one gold – is the early candidate to carry the Maple Leaf in Sunday’s spectacle. The swimming competition concluded Saturday night.
“I was supposed to fly out in a few days, but I’m thinking about sticking around. I think it would be fun,” Oleksiak said.
READ MORE: Penny Oleksiak, Olympic gold medalist and Drake loving teenager
“I think I would totally stick around if I was the flagbearer. It would be pretty cool and getting to represent your whole country at the Olympic Games would be awesome.
“To walk out holding the Canadian flag, I’d just love to do that.
The 16-year-old won Canada’s first gold medal in Rio in the women’s 100-metre freestyle. Oleksiak also won a butterfly silver and swam the anchor legs on both freestyle relay teams that won bronze.
Rosie MacLennan of King City, Ont., carried the flag in the Aug. 5 opening ceremonies. MacLennan defended her trampoline gold medal in Rio after winning her first in 2012.