Canadian snowboarder Mark McMorris chosen as 2018 Calgary Stampede Parade marshal

Two-time Olympic bronze medal winning snowboarder Mark McMorris will lead this year's Calgary Stampede Parade.

The Saskatchewan native says he's very excited for the opportunity to play an important role in what he called an iconic Canadian event.

"Super honouredthank you, guys," he said as he was introduced at an event at the Stampede grounds on Thursday morning.

"I had no expectation of getting picked for this."

McMorris said that having grownup in Saskatchewan, he's been to many rodeos. But this will be his first Calgary Stampede.

He said he's looking forward to spending all morning on his horse, Texas, even though it's been a while.

"It's going to hurt, I'll be bow-legged."

The snowboarder had a near-catastrophic crash in 2017 in the B.C. backcountry. He hit a tree and broke several bonesand sufferedinternal injuries.

But he recovered in time to compete in the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, where he won a bronze medal in the men's slopestyle event.

He was also a bronze medallist in Sochi in 2014.

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The parade takes place July 6. It starts atthe intersection of NinthAvenue and First Street S.E. at 9 a.m. It travelswest to 10thStreet S.W., where it heads north to Sixth Avenue and then goes back east to end atthe intersection of Sixth Avenue andMacleod Trail.

The Calgary Stampede runs from July 6 to 15.