Both Summer McIntosh and Ethan Katzberg had already left the Paris games when they received the offer to carry the Canadian flag at the closing ceremony - she went to her cottage in Muskoka, and he went to a hammer throw training camp in Slovakia.

But by Sunday, the Canadian athletes boarded planes and returned to Paris with five medals between them - including four golds.

McIntosh, who won four swimming medals and became the first Canadian to win three gold medals, said being chosen as a flag bearer is something "I will cherish and hold in my heart forever."

She added, "I think it will take a few months to process everything and appreciate all that has happened. But I think the main thing that will take longer to sink in is carrying the flag because it is a tremendous honor and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The 17-year-old swimmer from Toronto said she is still processing the past few weeks, which included setting two Olympic records in the women's 200-meter butterfly (2:03.03) and the women's 200-meter individual medley (2:06.56).

She said, "It’s been a whirlwind, but I mean, I’m so grateful for everything that has happened."

Katzberg, from Nanaimo, British Columbia, won Canada’s first gold medal in men's hammer throw in a dominant fashion. His winning throw was the best in the field by 4.15 meters - the largest margin of victory in this event since Antwerp 1920.

The 22-year-old world champion - now Olympic champion - said he fell in love with the Olympics for the first time when they were hosted in Vancouver in 2010. He said watching it as a child made him realize "what sport could be."

On Sunday, he was the one representing his country, thanking those watching at home on television.

He said, "Canada really came together during these Olympics and was cheering our athletes on strongly, and it was great to see the support for our Canadians." "I’m so excited to have been able to finish these games."

Eric Mylez, Chief Sport Officer of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said both athletes "truly represent the values of our Olympic athletes and the competitive spirit that defines Team Canada 2024."

"Summer's performance was a tour de force; winning three gold medals in one Games is an incredible achievement," he said. "For Ethan, it was another tremendous success, as Canada won its first gold medal in hammer throw, and the first medal in this sport in 112 years."

Canada entered the final day of competition with 27 medals, including nine golds, a record for an uninterrupted Summer Games. In total, McIntosh and Katzberg combined for five of these medals, including four golds.

McIntosh said that since the start of the games, Canadians have tried to carry the momentum from their successful Olympic performance in Tokyo 2021, where Canada won 24 medals.

She said, "Seeing all these amazing Canadian athletes achieve their dreams and reach them is incredible. And I think feeding off that energy from each other is what kept us going throughout these Games."

Katzberg added, "We just want to see the best performance we can give as a country, and we are so excited to be able to finish such a great Games with the Canadian flag."

Sprinter Andre De Grasse and weightlifter Maude Charron were the flag bearers for Canada at the opening ceremony on July 26.