De Grasse, Charron chosen as Canada's flag-bearers for Paris Olympics opening ceremony

Canada will showcase speed and strength at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

Six-time medallist sprinter Andre De Grasse and champion weightlifter Maude Charron will carry the Canadian flag during Friday's parade down the Seine, the Canadian Olympic Committee announced on Wednesday.

Live coverage of the unique opening ceremony will be available on CBC-TV, CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem beginning at 1 p.m. ET.

In an Olympic first, each of the 91 countries will move along a six-kilometre route through the Seine on boats, rather than the traditional parade into the Olympic Stadium. The flotilla will end at the Trocadèro where the Olympic cauldron will be lit to signify the start of the Games. 

More than 300,000 spectators are expected to attend the event, and they'll all see De Grasse and Charron at the front of the Canadian contingent.

"It's the perfect combo, isn't it? Like strength and speed together to represent the team, it's perfect," Charron said in an interview with CBC Sports' Scott Russell. "[I'm] obviously super honoured to do that with [De Grasse]."

De Grasse, 29, is entering his third Olympics having already collected six medals — including the 200-metre gold at Tokyo 2020.

The Markham, Ont., native is known for his steeliness under pressure, reaching the podium every time he's competed in an Olympic event in addition to collecting five world-championship medals.

But he said the call asking him to carry Canada's flag left him "speechless."

Part of De Grasse's surprise had to do with the fact that track-and-field competition doesn't start until the second week of the Olympics. If he reaches the final in each of his three events, De Grasse will race for medals in the 100m on Aug. 4, the 200m on Aug. 8 and the