Bruny Surin chosen Canada's chef de mission for 2018 Youth Olympics
4-time Olympian inducted into Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2008
Former Canadian track star Bruny Surin has been named chef de mission for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, the Canadian Olympic committee announced.
The Games will take place in Buenos Aires from Oct. 6-18.
Surin, who was born in Haiti and moved with his family to Montreal at age seven, competed in four Olympics Games (1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000). The height of his career came at the 1996 Atlanta Games, when alongside Donovan Bailey, Glenroy Gilbert, Robert Esmie, Surin captured gold in the men's 4x100-metre relay — a first for Canada and the first time a nation had defeated the United States in the event.
Surin also won two world relay titles, two individual world silver medals in the 100, and back-to-back gold medals in the 60-metre event at the world indoor championships.
Surin is the Canadian co-record holder in 100 metres with Donovan Bailey at 9.84 seconds.
In 2008, Surin was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame as part of that 4x100 relay team.
"It is a great honour to have been chosen to lead an amazing team of young athletes as Team Canada's chef de mission for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games," said Surin. "My Olympic experiences were a defining part of my life and I look forward to this opportunity to give back to the Canadian sport community. I look forward to leading our incredible next generation of Canadian Olympians."
The Youth Olympic Games are the world's largest multi-sport competition for young high-performance athletes aged 15-18. The Games will feature 3,998 athletes from 206 countries competing in 32 summer sports.