Sochi-bound

Haley Irwin and Patrick Sharp will have some Northwestern Ontario company in Sochi.

The Canadian Olympic hockey stars will be joined by pairs figure skater Eric Radford of Balmertown, located near Red Lake.

Radford, born in Winnipeg, and partner Megan Duhamel are expected to contend for a medal at the Games, which open next month in Russia.

Radford, 28,  was the Canadian novice champion in 2002 and took the junior singles crown two years later, but struggled in the pairs category until he and Duhamel joined forces after the latter failed to qualify for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver.

They finished seventh at their first world championship in 2011, jumped to fifth a year later  and won bronze a year ago, Canada’s first medal in the pairs event since 2008.

Radford and Duhamel were two of the 17 skaters named Sunday to the Canadian Olympic team.