Alpine skier Mollie Jepsen named Canada's flag-bearer for Paralympics closing ceremony

Alpine skier Mollie Jepsen got things started for Canada at the Beijing Paralympics — now she'll lead the Canadian contingent to close out the 2022 Games.

The Canadian Paralympic Committee announced on Saturday that Jepsen, who won Canada's first medal of the Games with gold in the women's standing downhill, would be the country's flag-bearer for the closing ceremony of Beijing 2022.

"To be able to represent all of the athletes who have done so amazing here and competed their hearts out at the Games feels amazing, and it's an honour I will cherish for the rest of my life," Jepsen said.

Jepsen's time of one minute 21.75 seconds upgraded her from the bronze she won in the event four years ago.

And she did it while racing with a torn ACL in one of her knees. Jepsen, who has suffered the same injury twice before, will undergo surgery to repair the ligament upon her return home.

"Usually, we ski courses a million times before racing it, but this is my fourth time on this particular track," Jepsen said after Canada's first gold medal in China.

"I'm completely overwhelmed, I knew exactly what I wanted to do today, and I am happy to have put everything out there."

WATCH | Jepsen wins women's downhill standing gold:

In her second Games, the 22-year-old from West Vancouver, B.C., raced to silver in the standing giant slalom for her second podium appearance, which boosted her career total to six medals.

At PyeongChang 2018, as one of Canada's breakout stars in her first Paralympics, Jepsen captured four medals — winning gold in super combined, a silver in slalom and a bronze in both downhill and giant slalom.

Just months following her success in Korea, Jepsen was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and missed the entire next season. Other injuries in the ensuing years would knock her out of competition until January 2020.

WATCH | Jepsen strikes giant slalom silver:

Due to COVID-19, the entire Canadian team didn't race once during the 2020-21 season.

"I put all those struggles behind me and was lucky enough to be back in Europe and racing and competing with the team. I'm just really happy to be back at the Games and performing the way I was hoping I would perform," Jepsen said.

Canada's chef de mission Josh Dueck called Jepsen a "fantastic example of perseverance, resiliency, and the power of the human spirit."

"She has overcome so many challenges over the past four years and to be here in Beijing racing so well and laying it down for two medals is an amazing accomplishment," he said. 

"She is an incredible and passionate leader who loves her sport so much, and I can't wait to join her and the rest of Team Canada at the Closing Ceremony as we celebrate an incredible Paralympic Winter Games."

Canada has won 23 medals at the Beijing Paralympics, including eight gold. It's guaranteed to add at least one more after the Para ice hockey team faces the U.S. in the gold-medal match on Friday at 11 p.m. ET.

That total is the second-highest in team history after the 28 won in Pyeongchang. Canada stands third overall behind China and Ukraine.

Curler Ina Forrest and hockey player Greg Westlake, who announced on Saturday that these would be his final Games, carried Canada's flag into the opening ceremony last week at Bird's Nest stadium.

Live coverage of the closing ceremony from the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing begins at 8 a.m. ET on the CBC TV network, CBC Gem, CBCSports.ca and the CBC Sports app.