Courtesy: Swimming Canada
Paris, August 27, 2024 – Wheelchair basketball athlete Patrick Anderson (Fergus, Ont.) and Para swimmer Katarina Roxon (Kippens, Nfld.), two Paralympic champions with accomplished and storied careers, will carry the flag for Canada at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony, the Canadian Paralympic Committee announced Tuesday.
Anderson, one of the best athletes to ever play the game of wheelchair basketball, is set for his sixth Paralympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2020, 2024). The 45-year-old has four Paralympic podiums, winning gold with the men’s wheelchair basketball team in 2000, 2004, and 2012 as well as silver in 2008.
Roxon is making history in Paris as the first Canadian female Para swimmer to compete at five Paralympic Games. The 31-year-old made her Paralympic debut at Beijing 2008, where she was the youngest swimmer on the Canadian team. Eight years later she won her first Paralympic medal – gold in the women’s SB8 100m breaststroke. She earned her second career medal as part of the bronze-medal winning women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team at Tokyo 2020.
“This is a big honour and special thing,” said Anderson. “This is a special country and an opportunity to represent wheelchair basketball in front of the world and the entire Canadian Paralympic Team. It was very much a surprise. I’ve been chosen, and I will step up. It’s going to be really cool.”
“I don’t think it’s actually set in yet,” said Roxon. “When I was told about this, I was super excited that I would even be thought of among all the amazing athletes that Canada has. To see where I started out from, little baby Katarina in 2008 at the Games to now here at my fifth Games as a well-versed veteran, to be named as one of the flag bearers is such a huge honour and a huge privilege.”
Anderson and his teammates will commence their Paris 2024 tournament on August 30 with a preliminary round game against Germany. The squad finished eighth at Tokyo 2020 and sixth at the 2023 world championships.
Roxon will also be in competition on August 30, in the SB8 100m breaststroke, the same event in which she won gold at Rio 2016. She was fourth at Tokyo 2020. Roxon is also set to race the SM9 200m individual medley on September 5.
“Katarina and Pat are both such deserving recipients of this honour,” said Karolina Wisniewska, co-chef de mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team. “With nine previous Paralympic Games appearances and six Paralympic medals between them, they are among Canada’s most accomplished Paralympians ever. Beyond their undeniable athletic achievements, they have been leaders on their teams for so many years, making a huge impact on the development of their sports and Para sport as a whole.”
“What an incredible flag bearer duo,” said Josh Vander Vies, co-chef de mission, Paris 2024 Canadian Paralympic Team. “Pat and Katarina are amazing representatives for their country, their teams, and for the Paralympic Movement. It has been a joy to follow their careers, and this is another achievement to add to a long list they have worked so hard for. I know the whole Canadian Paralympic Team will be proud to walk and roll behind them at the Opening Ceremony.”
Canadian viewers can watch Anderson and Roxon lead the Canadian Paralympic Team live on CBC and Radio-Canada with Opening Ceremony coverage starting at 1:30 p.m. ET / 10:30 a.m. PT on Wednesday.