A 19-year-old said to have Olympic-level potential has been named flag bearer for Team Manitoba at the upcoming Canada Summer Games.
Rower Emma Gray will lead the herd into the opening ceremony when the games get underway in Winnipeg next week.
She's only been rowing two years, but has quickly become a star in the sport.
Gray didn't find the sport of rowing, it found her.
In 2015 during testing at her high school, Rowing Canada saw Olympic-level potential in the star athlete and she fell in love with the sport.
"I've been rowing for two years, but I've had a large amount of experiences in an accelerated time,” Gray said.
She’s become a force in Canadian rowing, finishing second overall at last fall’s Rowing Canada’s National Rowing Championships and representing the country at the World Junior Championships.
As flag bearer, Gray wants to be a good representative for the province.
"It's a remarkable honour to be recognized for my accomplishments so far,” Gray said. “I'm just excited for what the future will hold, and it's a nice step in the right direction."
"I have performance, podium expectations. To just be able to go out there and do what I know I can do and stand on the podium at home before I maybe take the next step would be a really amazing feeling."
Team Manitoba rowing coach Janine Stephens, a silver medalist at the 2012 Olympics, said Gray is a good choice for the job.
"I think it's a good celebration for her and a good opportunity to just showcase rowing and showcase the hard work that she's done and put into it," she said.
Gray will compete in the women's single, double and quadruple sculls, as well as the women's eights, which all take place in Kenora, Ont.
Team Manitoba won its most medals ever at the 2013 Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Que. with 35 podium finishes.
This year's goal is to surpass that performance.
