Canada Olympic Medal Predictions
Ahead of the upcoming 2012 Olympic Games in London, there is no doubt that many Canadians are keeping a close eye on the odds for their country's team to bring home medals, as the Canada Olympic medal predictions flow thick and fast.
Team Canada is a talented group, and analysts predict the country will bag around 17 medals in the London Games, which kick off next Friday (July 27th). As such, many bookmakers have posted betting odds on which countries are likely to bring home the medals, Canada included.
The sports where Canadian athletes really shine through are diving, rowing, wrestling and cycling.
In the diving section, all eyes will be on Jennifer Abel of Quebec, who is Canada's only hope as a multi medal winner in the Games. Abel will participate in 3m springboard diving and 3m synchronized springboard diving with her partner, Emilie Heymans of Montreal. In both events, she has a good chance of taking home a medal.
Another medal could also come from Roseline Filion and Meaghan Benfeito in the women's 10m synchronized diving platform.
Predictions of Olympic Medals for Canada
The predictions for Canada's Olympic medal tally show that rowing is another Olympics sport where Team Canada is expected to excel in. It's worth betting on the men's eights and the women's eights to win medals, while rowers Dave Calder and Scott Frandsen are also names to consider.
Sporting analysts also give Zach Bell a good chance of becoming the first athlete from Yukon territory to win an individual Olympic medal. The cyclist is joined by others in the team, Tara Whitten, Gillian Carleton, Jasmin Glaesser and Catharine Pendrel - all of whom have a chance of winning a medal for Canada in the upcoming Olympic Games.
Analysts are also pinning hopes on Adam van Koeverdan (1000m men's kayaking), Karine Sergeris (middleweight taekwando for women), Dylan Armstrong (men's shot put), Karen Cockburn (trampoline) and Ryan Cochraine (men's 1500m freestyle).
Whitfield to Carry Canada's Flag
In the meantime, it was decided that three time Olympian, Simon Whitfield will lead the Canadian procession during the opening ceremony of the London Games.
Whitfield, who is currently ranked the 8th best triathlon athlete in the world, has won gold and silver medals in triathlon, was clearly emotional when he was named as deserving of the honor.
"I'm overwhelmed right now," he said. "I think of all the incredible, deserving flag bearers. This is an incredible honor."
Whitfield ran, swam and cycled his way to an incredible gold medal victory in the year that triathlon became an Olympic sport at the Sydney Games in 2000. His career took a dive with an 11th place finish in the 2004 games, before he came back with a vengeance in Beijing, to win a silver medal.
