LAKE PLACID, NEW YORK – With a historic performance at the range and on the snow at Mount Van Hoevenberg, biathlete Shilo Rousseau wil carry the Canadian flag into Herb Brooks Arena on Sunday in the closing ceremony.
The University of Ottawa student started Canada strong in the Lake Plaid 2023 FISU World University Games, winning a gold medal on the second day of competition, Canada’s first-ever in biathlon, topping the podium in the 12.5km event.
Throughout the week, she continued to contend at the Games, adding a silver medal in the 7.5km sprint and another gold in the 10km individual.
“Being named flag bearer is such an honour and surprise to me; coming into the game I didn’t imagine winning any medals, let alone two gold and a silver,” Rousseau said. “I have put in so much hard work into being a student and an athlete and competing at a high level.”
“For a sport like a biathlon which typically not a lot of people in Canada know about, it is such a niche sport, it doesn’t get much recognition. So, to have the flag bearer be a biathlete is amazing and making history.”
Team Canada ends the Lake Placid Games with 13 medals and their second-best performance ever at a FISU Games, only behind 1985, and Rousseau has been a critical part of it.
She will lead Team Canada into the area on Sunday at 8:00pm ET.