Canada taking 371 athletes to Tokyo, largest Games contingent since 1984

Team Canada is taking 371 athletes to the Tokyo Olympics, the country's largest Games contingent since Los Angeles in 1984, the Canadian Olympic Committee announced on Tuesday.

The roster includes 40 Olympic medallists and 226 rookies. Of the total number of athletes, 225 identify as female or are competing in women's events while 146 identify as male or are competing in men's events. They will be accompanied by 131 coaches.

"This is a very special moment for these 371 athletes, who have faced some of the most challenging circumstances over the past 16 months to be named to Team Canada's Tokyo 2020 delegation," Eric Myles, COC chief sport officer, said in a statement.

"The fact that we have the largest Canadian team at a Summer Olympics in over 35 years speaks volumes to the focus and resilience of Canadian athletes and the sport community."

McBean impressed by results

Marnie McBean, three-time Olympic rowing champion and Team Canada's Tokyo 2020 chef de mission, is "extraordinarily impressed" by the Canadian athlete's results.

"Despite the pandemic, through their creativity and perseverance, they have become the largest Canadian Olympic Team in three decades," said McBean. "In far less than ideal conditions, they have found a way to be faster and stronger than ever and I have no doubt that they are ready to reveal something special at Tokyo 2020. Their stories are ones that we can all be proud of."

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics will run from July 23 to Aug. 3 and it's the second time the Japanese capital has held the event. The delayed edition of the Summer Games will feature 339 events across 33 sports and 50 disciplines.

Andre De Grasse among headliners

The headliners include sprint star Andre De Grasse, multi-medallist swimmer Penny Oleksiak, champion wrestler Erica Wiebe, two-time trampoline gold medallist Rosie MacLennan, golfer Brooke Henderson and soccer player Christine Sinclair.

Tennis star Bianca Andreescu withdrew from the Canadian team this week citing pandemic-related challenges.

Canada to compete in eight team sports

Eight teams competing in women's soccer, basketball, softball, rugby sevens and water polo and men's volleyball, rugby sevens and field hockey ties the most for a non-boycotted, non-hosted Summer Games, and swells Canada's numbers particularly on the women's side.

All eight teams qualified before the COVID-19 pandemic that delayed Tokyo's 2020 Summer Games a year.

Here's more notable information about some of the Canadian athletes heading to Tokyo:

Sets of siblings

• Gabriela DeBues-Stafford and Lucia Stafford (athletics). 
• Halle Pratt (artistic swimming) and Cole Pratt (swimming).
• Claire Wright and Emma Wright (water polo).

Children of Olympians

• Axelle Crevier, water polo (Mother Marie-Claude Deslières, water polo). 
• Tali Darsigny, weightlifting (Father Yvan, weightlifting). 
• Nicholas Hoag, volleyball (Father Glenn, volleyball).
• Lynda Kiejko, shooting (Father Bill Hare, shooting).
• Kai Langerfeld, rowing (Father York, rowing).
• Summer McIntosh, swimming (Mother Jill Horstead, swimming).
• Mariah Millen, sailing (Father John, sailing).
• Jordan Steen, wrestling (Father Dave and mother Andrea Page, athletics). 
• Ali ten Hove, sailing (Father Martin, sailing). 
• Avalon Wasteneys, rowing (Mother Heather Clarke, rowing).  
• Jillian Weir, Athletics (Father Robert, GBR athletics). 

Provincial and territorial breakdown (by hometown)

• Alberta: 28.
• British Columbia: 95.
• Manitoba: 5.
• New Brunswick: 1.
• Newfoundland and Labrador: 0.
• Northwest Territories: 0.
• Nova Scotia: 8.
• Nunavut: 0.
• Ontario: 171.
• Prince Edward Island: 0.
• Quebec: 58.
• Saskatchewan: 3.
• Yukon: 0.
• Athletes with hometowns outside Canada: 2.