By Gregory Strong
TURIN, Italy (CP) _ It's a virtual lock.
Winnipeg long-track speedskater Cindy Klassen is expected to be
named Canada's flagbearer for the closing ceremonies at the Turin
Winter Olympics. The Canadian Olympic Committee will make the
announcement Sunday at its wrapup news conference.
While there are several excellent candidates, selecting Klassen
seems to be a no-brainer. She has already won a record four medals
and has a shot to add another. A wide grin spread across her face
when she was asked about the possibility of carrying the Maple Leaf
into the Stadio Olimpico.
``That would be an honour, definitely, but it's not something
that I've thought about,'' Klassen said. ``I'm just looking forward
to my next race.''
She could make it to the podium for a fifth time after Saturday's
5,000 metres. Winnipeg's Clara Hughes is also a good bet for a
medal. Ottawa's Kristina Groves is also in the field and is coming
off a silver medal performance in the 1,500.
This has already been Canada's most successful Winter Games ever
and there could be more medals to come on the final weekend.
In short track, Eric Bedard of Ste-Thecle, Que., will compete in
the 500 metres and is also on the men's relay team that will go for
its third straight Olympic gold. Jonathan Guilmette of Montreal,
Charles Hamelin of Ste-Julie, Que., Francois-Louis Tremblay of
Boucherville, Que., and Mathieu Turcotte of Sherbrooke, Que., round
out the lineup.
Amanda Overland of Kitchener, Ont., will skate in the women's
1,000 metres along with Tania Vicent of Laval, Que. Both were on the
3,000 metre relay team that won silver earlier in the Games.
In the mountains at Sestriere, pilot Pierre Lueders is fourth
entering Saturday's final two heats of the four-man bobsled, 0.27
seconds behind first-place Germany. Lueders already won silver in
the two-man with brakeman Lascelles Brown of Calgary. Ken Kotyk of
Rama, Sask., and Regina's Morgan Alexander are also in the Canada 1
sled.
The final alpine skiing event goes Saturday, where much-hyped
American Bode Miller will look for his first medal of the Games.
Thomas Grandi of Canmore, Alta., leads the Canadian contingent in
the men's slalom, rounded out by Michael Janyk of Whistler, B.C.,
Patrick Biggs of Ottawa and Jean-Philippe Roy of Gatineau, Que.
Men's hockey wraps up with a pair of medal games. The Czech
Republic plays Russia for bronze Saturday with Sweden and Finland to
play for gold Sunday. The only other event on the final day of
competition is the men's 50-kilometre cross-country.
At the Oval Lingotto, Klassen, Hughes and Groves will have stiff
competition from Renate Groenewold of the Netherlands. Claudia
Pechstein will try to become the first Winter Olympian to win the
same event four times in a row, but the 34-year-old German has
battled breathing problems all week.
Klassen is the first Canadian woman to win three medals at one
Winter Games. She topped that feat by winning a fourth medal _ and
her first gold _ in the 1,500 metres. If Klassen makes the podium
again, she would break the Olympic record she shares with Russia's
Lidiya Skoblikova for most medals by a female speedskater in one
Games. Skoblikova won four gold medals at the 1964 Winter Games in
Innsbruck.
That's not all.
Klassen, who also won a bronze at the 2002 Games in Salt Lake,
could also break the record for most career medals by a Canadian
Olympian. Runner Philip Edwards and short-tracker Marc Gagnon are
the only others who have won five medals.
