Olympic notebook: Canada aiming for 19 medals, top-12 finish

Curt Harnett, Team Canada’s chef de mission, said the goal for Rio is a top-12 finish in the final medal standings.

At Team Canada’s opening news conference in Rio, Harnett said Canada anticipates 19-plus medals at these Games, with 314 athletes competing against 205 countries in 37 sports.

Canada won 18 medals in the 2012 Games in London with 279 athletes, tying for a 13th-place finish. (The U.S. was top of the table with 103 medals, followed by China with 88 and host country Britain with 65.)

Baseball and softball return: Olympic leaders approved the addition of five sports to the program of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Wednesday, including the return of baseball-softball and the introduction of youth-oriented events such as skateboarding and surfing.

The International Olympic Committee voted to accept the five-sport package, which also includes karate and sport climbing.

The five, which were proposed for inclusion last year by Tokyo organizers, were approved unanimously by the IOC members.

Phelps to carry American flag:

Unlike the last four Olympics, Michael Phelps will be taking part in the opening ceremony for the Rio Games. And he’ll have something to carry.

Phelps will be the bearer of the U.S. flag during the Friday night ceremony at Maracana Stadium, selected in a vote by all members of the American Olympic team. The decision announced Wednesday makes Phelps, the most decorated athlete in Olympic history, only the second swimmer to lead the U.S. delegation in the opening ceremony. Gary Hall was the first at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Murray to lead British team:

Wimbledon and defending Olympic champion Andy Murray will lead Great Britain’s team into the stadium, the British Olympic Association said Wednesday. He is the first tennis player to lead the team in an opening ceremony.

“This is my third Olympic Games and it is a very special competition for me. I obviously have great memories of London.”