The Canadian Parlympic team flag bearer for the opening ceremony, Donovan Tildesley of Vancouver, sings "Oh Canada" with the flag draped over this shoulder at the Canadian flag raising ceremony at the Paralympic village in Beijing. (Mike Ridewood/Canadian Press)Donovan Tildesley will serve as Canada's flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games Saturday.
Tildesley, a 24-year-old visually impaired swimmer, was given the honour during a Team Canada function in Beijing on Thursday. The Vancouver native was one of three finalists — alongside wheelchair racer Chantal Petitclerc and boccia player Paul Gauthier — named earlier this week.
"I was stunned when I first heard the decision," Tildesley, who was informed of the decision by chef de mission Debbie Low at the end of Thursday's rally for the Canadian team, told CBCSports.ca.
"Honestly, I was hoping to get the nod but I didn't expect to. I was up against some fairly stiff competition from some great athletes. Paul Gauthier and Chantal Petitclerc, I thought, had much longer resumés and more experience than me — a relative newcomer compared to them.
"So when I heard my name announced a bolt of electricity shot through my body. I was speechless for about 30 seconds."
Tildesley holds the world record in the men's 800-metre and 1500-metre freestyle in the S11 category, and will be competing at the Paralympics for the third and final time. He has accumulated two silver medals and a bronze in his Olympic career.
Tildesley, who received his bachelor of arts from UBC this year, will compete in five events — the 50, 100 and 400-metre freestyle, along with the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke.
Although the Vancouver swimmer is a multiple Paralympic medallist, he refuses to put any added expectations on himself by setting podium finishes as a goal for Beijing.
"I'm focused on the process of the race rather than the overall outcome," he said. "I'm not going to go out there and say I want to win this many medals because I find that sets me up for too much pressure and oftentimes for failure."
Tildesley has admittedly struggled to make the transition from Paralympic athlete to a student in search of a career after sports. However, recent success in the pool has changed his outlook.
"That's been one of my biggest problems over the years," said Tildesley.
"But a few months ago I had a breakthrough race and I took four seconds off personal best time in the 400 freestyle. It was only then that I realized that I had a lot more in me than I even knew."
Canada will send 143 athletes to the Paralympics, which take place from Sept. 6 to 17 in Beijing.