No offence to the rest of the Canadian Olympic team athletes but there was no way the Canadian Olympic Committee could select anyone but Christine Sinclair to carry the Maple Leaf in the closing ceremonies of London 2012. There was no decision to be made.

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Edmonton - August 12, 2012 - Was there ever really any doubt? No offence to the rest of the Canadian Olympic team athletes but there was no way the Canadian Olympic Committee could select anyone but Christine Sinclair to carry the Maple Leaf in the closing ceremonies of London 2012. There was no decision to be made. It was a one women race.

While these Olympic games have featured many highs and lows for Canada, they will always be tied to the bronze medal winning performance by the women's soccer team. Not only did they become the first Canadian side to win a team medal in the Summer Games since 1936 but they captured the imagination of an entire nation...with their captain being in the middle of all of it.

Sinclair and running mate Melissa Tancredi, led the way upfront throughout the tournament but it was the Burnaby native's performance against Team USA, that put her on a whole different level. Her three goal effort against the heavily favoured Americans was arguably the most impressive display by any athlete, in a team sport, at these games.

She not only scored three goals but did so in such breath taking fashion. Her second and third markers were of world class quality and as clutch as you will ever see. We all know how things ended in that semi-final but for Sinclair to perform at the level she did, on as a big stage as you will find for women's soccer, was what legends are made of. Which is exactly what Christine Sinclair has now become.

Despite leading all scorers with six goals, all that mattered to Sinclair was team success. Heading into these Olympics, John Herdman's crew had one thing in mind...an Olympic medal. Thanks to a total team commitment and the ability of Sinclair to step up whenever her team needed, they did exactly that. The individual goals and numbers are always nice but in the end it's about winning.

The five-time FIFA World Player of the Year nominee, has now represented her country on 190 occasions, scoring an incredible 143 times. She currently sits in a tie with American Abby Wambach for second on the all time scoring list, trailing only Mia Hamm and her career total of 158. Sinclair's total is even more impressive, when you consider the talent the two Americans have had the benefit of playing with over the years, something the Canadian has had at her disposal. Having said that, at twenty-nine years of age, she will, in all likelihood, finish her career as the all time goal scoring leader in women's soccer. Luckily for Canada, that won't be for sometime.

With that being the case, why don't we start the campaign now. Christine Sinclair for Canada's flag bearer for the opening ceremonies in Rio de Janeiro. Would anyone really have an issue with this? I can't think of anyone else I'd rather see lead this country into the Summer Games come 2016.