Olympics-Canada breaks new ground with women outnumbering men on team for Milano Cortina

"At the Olympic Games, the ⁠world doesn't just see what athletes can do, it sees what a country is made of," Jennifer ⁠Heil, the 2006 Olympic moguls champion and Team Canada's Chef ⁠de Mission, ‌said in a press release. "This Canadian team brings heart and pride, grounded in respect."

Canada will send 207 athletes to the Milano Cortina Olympics where, ‌for the first time at a Winter Games, women will outnumber men on ⁠the team. The Canadian Olympic Committee said on Thursday there were 108 athletes on the team competing in women's events compared ​to 99 in men's events.

The squad includes four sets ‍of siblings and eight children of former Olympians, creating family storylines that will unfold during the February 6-22 Olympics. Among the Team ⁠Canada ‌athletes, 109 ⁠are Olympic rookies eager for their debut, while 47 are decorated Olympians ‍looking to add to their medal collections.

The team also spans ​generations, with 18-year-old snowboarder Eli Bouchard the youngest ⁠member and 44-year-old curler Marc Kennedy the oldest. "At the Olympic Games, the ⁠world doesn't just see what athletes can do, it sees what a country is made of," Jennifer ⁠Heil, the 2006 Olympic moguls champion and Team Canada's Chef ⁠de Mission, ‌said in a press release.

"This Canadian team brings heart and pride, grounded in respect."