Gord Perrin, Canada’s captain at the Tokyo Olympics, has retired from the men’s national volleyball team.
Perrin had previously suggested that the 2021 Summer Games would be his last national team appearance. He led Canada to an eighth place finish in Tokyo, losing to the Russian Olympic Committee’s team 3-0 in the tournament’s quarterfinal.
He made his retirement official on Tuesday, although the 32-year-old will continue to play professionally in Europe.
“I think Volleyball Canada has a good foundation of players to continue on and chase down bigger goals,” said Perrin in a statement. “I will always watch closely and still feel very invested in the success and evolution of the team.”
Perrin, from Creston, B.C., started playing for Canada more than a decade ago, joining the team when it was ranked 24th in the world.
“It was one of my life goals to be an Olympian,” said Perrin, who helped the team climb to 10th in the world ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics where they finished fifth. “I’m one of the few players who was there from the beginning of the climb to get the team where it is today, and it definitely did not happen by accident.”
Perrin was also part of the team when it finished seventh at the 2014 world championships, won a World League bronze medal in 2017, won multiple NORCECA medals and qualified for Tokyo 2020.
His sister, Alicia, also recently retired from the women’s national team program.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2021.
The Canadian Press