Canadian Olympians take flight for Milan Cortina Games after festive send-off

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This article was published 29/01/2026 (194 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DORVAL – The feeling never gets old for Marie-Philip Poulin — even as she heads to her fifth Olympic Games.

The captain of Canada’s women’s hockey team was among a group of Olympians who departed for Northern Italy following a festive send-off for the Milan Cortina Winter Games on Thursday night at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport.

“When we arrived at the airport earlier, the emotions, the butterflies, came in right away,” Poulin said, shortly after rolling her luggage into Gate 52.

“There’s nothing better. It could be my first or my fifth, little Marie is still excited.”

Athletes from the women’s hockey team and the freestyle skiing squad, among others, paraded through the terminal waving miniature Canadian flags and chanting “Go Canada Go!” as travellers stopped to cheer and capture the moment on their phones.

Canada is sending 207 athletes to the Milan Cortina Games, including 109 first-time Olympians.

Freestyle skier Naomi Urness will be one of them. The 21-year-old from Mont-Tremblant, Que., rated her excitement as “11 out of 10” before boarding the same flight as Poulin.

“I’m just looking forward to living the whole experience,” she said. “I mean to compare myself to these athletes, honestly feels kind of out of place, but I’m starting to believe that I belong here and that I deserve to be here.”

The opening ceremonies for the spread-out Games take place Feb. 6 in Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Predazzo and Livigno — where moguls skier Mikael Kingsbury and ski cross racer Marielle Thompson will carry the Maple Leaf as Canada’s flag-bearers.

Urness, who will also compete in Livigno, said she’s excited to see the Olympic Village and exchange pins with other athletes once she lands — and indulge in Italian food.

“I love pasta, so I’m pretty excited about that,” she said. “I can eat pasta every night, so I’m all in.”

Dylan Deschamps, another freestyle skier set for his Olympic debut, said he never dreamt of competing in the Winter Games.

“When I started skiing I was skiing for fun with my friends, just learning flips, learning how to do it,” said the 23-year-old from Quebec City. “I never thought I would go to an Olympics.

“It’s insane.”

Poulin joins ski jumper Mackenzie Boyd-Clowes and speedskater Valérie Maltais as the only members of this year’s Canadian team to reach their fifth Olympic Games.

Her advice for the rookies? Soak it all in.

“I joked a little bit with (teammate) Kati Tabin last night. I said ‘We go to Milan tomorrow,’ and you see her smile, ear to ear,” Poulin said. “There’s nothing better when you see that pride for the players about to have their first experience.”

The three-time Olympic gold medallist added she’s looking forward to sharing the experience with family and friends after the pandemic-restricted Beijing Games four years ago.

“It’s quite special,” she said. “Four years ago, it was quite different, all wearing masks and having nobody there. We sure made it worth it … but now four years ahead, here we are, and we’re really looking forward to getting there.”

For the first time, Canadian athletes competing in women’s events (108) outnumber those in men’s competitions (99).

The oldest man competing for Canada is curler Marc Kennedy, 44, while the oldest woman is pairs figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek, who’s 42. Felicity Geremia and Eli Bouchard, both 18, are the youngest.

The Olympics conclude with the closing ceremonies on Feb. 22.

“At the Olympic Games, the world doesn’t just see what athletes can do, it sees what a country is made of,” Chef de Mission Jennifer Heil said in a statement. “This Canadian team brings heart and pride, grounded in respect. Behind every start line is a story: years of sacrifice, relentless work, and the resilience to keep going when it would’ve been easier to stop, all in pursuit of an Olympic dream.

“Now it’s Canada’s turn. Let’s rally around this incredible group and cheer loud and proud as they step onto the world stage at Milan Cortina 2026.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 29, 2026.