The six strong Team BMW is described as a "high performance team of Canadian Olympians and hopefuls who will look to compete for gold at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games."

They will receive additional support to what BMW already provides as the "national partner and official vehicle" of the Canadian Olympic team.

Heading the list is Hamelin,who is targeting his third Olympics after winning a relay silver medal at Turin 2006 followed by gold on home ice Vancouver, in both the relay and the 500m disciplines.

With a similarly strong medal haul in Sochi the eight-time world champion will become the most decorated Canadian Olympian in history.  

Also in the team are two other defending winners in bobsleigh star Kaillie Humpthries, who won two-man gold in Vancouver and is the reigning world champion, and the ice hockey player Meghan Agosta-Marciano, who won gold at Turin 2006 as well as at Vancouver.

Meghan Agosta-Marciano competing at the 2013 World Championships ahead of her third Olympic Games ©Getty Images


Three Olympic debutants are also included in the team

These consist of the halfpipe freestyle skiier Rosalind "Roz" Groenewoud and the slopestyle snowboarder Mark McMorris - who have collectively won 11 medals at various Winter X Games competitions.

Making up the numbers is moguls skier Mikaël Kingsbury, the reigning World, World Cup and Canadian champion and is set to be one of a new generation of stars in Sochi.

"BMW Group Canada is pleased to add to our overall partnership with the Canadian Olympic Team the support of six athletes who represent BMW's values of peak performance and innovation," said Eduardo Villaverde, President and chief executive of BMW Group Canada.

"Team BMW is a distinctive group of men and women who are destined for Olympic success and who know what it takes to be the best.

"We look forward to supporting them in their quest for gold."

Marcel Aubut, President of the Canadian Olympic Committee, reinforced these views and underlined the importance of the BMW sponsorship.