Olympic kayak champ carries Canadian flag at Beijing Games

An Olympic kayaker from Ontario will carry the Canadian flag at the Beijing Games next month.

Gold medallist Adam van Koeverden carried the flag at the closing ceremony at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and after winning bronze and gold back then, van Koeverden hopes to do it all over again as best he can at the Olympics next month - well, not everything.

"In 2004, when I entered the stadium, I tripped, so I think the main thing I'm going to be thinking about is left, right, left, right, like I do in my kayak, just keeping my feet up and not falling,"  he laughed, speaking via satellite from his native Oakville,  fellow kayakers applauding him at the announcement this morning at the Olympic Village in Montreal.

van Koeverden beat out candidates such as Quebec diver Alexandre Despatie and equestrian veteran Ian Millar of Perth, Ontario.

The star kayaker is among 331 Canadian athletes off to the Olympics, Canada's biggest showing yet. He says he has high expectations for these games, adding he's not thinking about any negative aspects at this point.

"It's (about) how an incredibly privileged experience it is and how great an experience it's going to be for everybody."