Cross-country skier McKeever to carry Canada’s flag into opening ceremonies
PYEONGCHANG, Korea, Republic Of — Canadian Paralympic star Brian McKeever grew up without a television.
But days before the 1988 Winter Games opened in Calgary, his parents took their long-broken TV set in to have it repaired, and the cross-country skier’s Olympic love affair began when Canada marched into the stadium for the opening ceremonies.
“You don’t necessarily understand what the Olympics are at the time, but if it’s important enough for mom and dad to get the TV fixed, it must be pretty big,” said McKeever, who was in Grade 3 then. “So we watched the whole Games from opening to closing . . . it’s always a big event, right?”
On Friday, the 10-time gold medallist will carry Canada’s flag into the opening ceremonies of the Pyeongchang Olympics, leading a Canadian team 55-athletes strong.