Gord Perrin, Canada’s captain at the Tokyo Olympics, has retired from the men’s national volleyball team.
Perrin had previously suggested 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 quarter-final.
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.
WATCH l Canada’s men’s Olympic volleyball team places 5th in Tokyo:
![](https://thumbnails.cbc.ca/maven_legacy/thumbnails/638/283/Canada_out.jpg?crop=1.777xh:h;*,*&downsize=510px:* 510w")
The Canadian men’s volleyball team finished the Tokyo 2020 tournament fifth overall after losing in the quarterfinals to the ROC, 3-0 (25-21, 30-28, 25-22). 1:38
More Stories
It’s ‘a labour of love’ on and off the rink as Ontario roller derby team preps for playoffs in U.S. | CBC News
FIBA Men’s 3X3 Basketball World Tour: DAY 2 – Utsunomiya
CBC Sports Late Night: 2024 Athletics Wanda Diamond League – Shanghai – Suzhou