Honoured for her courageous performance in ladies' figure skating after the death of her mother, Joannie Rochette carried the Canadian flag at the closing ceremonies of the Vancouver games Sunday night.

The Canadian Olympic Association announced that Rochette would carry the flag earlier Sunday afternoon following rumours that short track speed skater Charles Hamelin would get the honour.

Rochette became the story of these Games when she won a bronze medal for Canada in ladies' figure skating just four days after her mother died suddenly of a heart attack.