SYDNEY (CP) -- Simon Whitfield doesn't expect to be living large when he returns home to Canada.

 Canada's Olympic gold medallist in triathlon, chosen by his teammates to carry the Maple Leaf at the closing ceremonies Sunday, is looking forward to going to his house in Victoria and playing with his kittens, Sherpa and Leia.

 Will he be swarmed by autograph-seekers on the streets of Victoria? And will there be a picture of him plastered on the side of a skyscraper like American track star Marion Jones?

 "I really haven't thought through that aspect of it," said the 25-year-old. "I look forward to the simple things at home, going to the coffee shop and eating at the Soup Company.

 "I hope that those things don't change. If this gives me a platform to talk to kids, wonderful. Other than that, I really like my life."

 But with gold medals scarce for Canada at the Olympic Games, Whitfield's celebrity will rise. He will be recognized wherever he goes as triathlon's first gold medallist in the Olympics and the first medallist of these Games for Canada.

 As the closing ceremonies kicked off, Whitfield entered the stadium along with the other flag-bearers, waving the Canadian flag, sporting a big grin and snapping photos with an instant camera.

 Whitfield had some inkling of what's in store because two days before the Games ended, he signed on with Capital Sports Ventures, a sports management company based in Austin, Tex., that also represents American cyclist Lance Armstrong.

 "It's fair to say he's in high demand," said Capital's Bill Stapleton, who said Whitfield's face will appear on the side of a breakfast cereal box in Canada next spring. Whitfield was already under contract to Nike.

 "We think he could be one of the biggest endorsement personalities in Canada."

 Whitfield sought the advice of rowers Marnie McBean and Derek Porter and basketball player Steve Nash about how handle the demands made on his time after athletic success.

 "I asked Steve questions about how his life changed after he was drafted and how did he refocus on the next goal and once he became more of a public figure, how he dealt with that," said Whitfield. "He was really supportive and just said to keep your close network of friends together and set your goals and refocus."

 "I've already learned that it's hard to keep everybody happy, so I'm doing my best to keep the people closest to me happy."

 He plans to work with young people in triathlon in the Kids of Steel program, where he started out at the age of 15. He would also like to help out with Toronto's bid for the 2008 Olympics.

 Whitfield's next major competition will be the 2001 world triathlon championship in Edmonton where he is sure to be greeted as a conquering hero.

 He wants to help raise his sport's profile by making public appearances and doing corporate talks, but he said that will take a back seat to training and competing.

 "I need to get back to the things that made an Olympic champion in the first place," he said.

 "If I fill my calendar up with 365 commitments, I'll never get back to doing what I really love and that's racing."

 Ever the comic, Whitfield said some things about his public image will have to change.

 "I'm having a bad hair life," he said. "I've got to figure out something to do about that."