Para nordic star Wilkie, wheelchair curling skip Ideson named Canada’s flag-bearers for closing ceremony

Para nordic skier Natalie Wilkie and wheelchair curling skip Mark Ideson will carry Canada’s flag into Sunday's closing ceremony of the 2026 Paralympic Games, the Canadian Paralympic Committee announced on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Wilkie, who was one of Canada’s Paralympic flag-bearers for the Milano-Cortina opening ceremony, won two golds and four medals in total at this year’s games. 

Canada's Natalie Wilkie wins 2nd Para biathlon gold and 4th medal at Milano-Cortina Paralympics

The Salmon Arm, B.C., native now has 11 Paralympic medals to her name — five gold, three silvers and three bronze. She is the first Canadian athlete to be selected to be both Opening and Closing Ceremony flag-bearer at the same Paralympic Games.

She said the announcement was a “big surprise.”

“This has been a really special Games for me. It has been a really emotional Games for myself and a lot of my teammates so it’s going to be a really great way to end the Games,” she said. 

“To be able to wave the flag physically and walk is going to be a pretty cool experience. I couldn’t think of a better way to end my third Games.”

Canada's Wilkie 'was pretty stressed' before the final after claiming her 2nd gold medal

Ideson of London, Ont., skipped Canada’s wheelchair curling team to its fourth Paralympic title and first since 2014. The 49-year-old threw the critical last shots for Canada that secured their semifinal and final victories against South Korea and China, helping the nation become the first to ever complete the tournament undefeated.

Skip of the team since 2018, Ideson made his Paralympic debut in 2014 and now has two gold and two bronze medals.

Canada clinches wheelchair curling gold with controversial buzzer-beater shot at Paralympics

He