Canada's Katie Vincent takes Olympic gold in women's 200m canoe sprint (2024)

VAIRES-sur-MARNE, France – There are many ways to win an Olympic gold medal.

Beating the defending champion by one-hundredth of a second in a world’s best time is right near the top. Katie Vincent was just looking for an upgrade when she dethroned American canoe star Nevin Harrison in a record 44.12 seconds to win gold in the women’s C1 200-metre sprint final Saturday at the Vaires-sur-Marne nautical stadium.

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“It still doesn’t feel quite real yet,” said the 28-year-old paddler from Mississauga, who now owns three medals across two Olympic Games. “I finished with a bronze medal (Friday in the C2 500m with Sloan MacKenzie). I got back to my hotel room thinking I’ve got two bronze. Maybe it’s time to mix it up and try something new.

“It kind of motivated me to come out and try to find another gear and dig a little deeper.”

Vincent is the first Canadian woman to win a gold medal in canoe/kayak and the first Olympic champ in the sport since Adam van Koeverden’s gold in the K-1 500m in Athens 20 years ago.

She thought she won when she crossed the line but wouldn’t celebrate until the photo finish results were posted. It was always going to be a squeaker against the speedy Harrison.

“By a lot, that’s the fastest I’ve gone,” Vincent, the 12-time world championship medalist, said. “I’ve broken 45 (seconds) maybe once or twice. To go 44.1 is pretty insane for me. It’s 200 metres. You can’t really play around too much. It all just came together. Sometimes in a 200, a little mistake can cost you a lot.

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“It was pretty close to a perfect race start to finish, beginning to end.”

The frantic canoe sprint was just added to the Olympic menu at Tokyo three years ago. Harrison, just 18 at the time, beat Canada’s Laurence Vincent-Lapointe by less than a second in the inaugural final.

She went faster than she ever has before in this race, but lost by the blink of an eye to a blur in red-and-white.

“I didn’t think I won,” the Seattle native said. “With a photo finish like that, you can’t think you won. I’m never going to celebrate before I know for sure but I’m really excited for everyone who also did really well and also the gold medalist.

“(Vincent has) been doing really big things and I’m stoked for her. I think she’s setting her own records and that’s really awesome, as well. I’m sure she’s really happy with that performance.

“The field is so deep, you would expect a world record from that group of girls.”

Vincent doesn’t consider herself a great starter, but knows how to power through to the end. Five women, including fellow Canadian Sophia Jensen in sixth (45.08), finished within a second of her new standard.

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“For me, as long as I’m in the mix in the first 50 (metres), I have the strength in the last 50,” Vincent said. “That’s where it was always going to be. (We had) two women in the final for the second Games in a row. We’re one of Canada’s most successful Olympic sports. My job is just to get up and paddle lakes and rivers every day. It doesn’t get much better than that.

“If people that just saw what we did, just Google ‘Canoe club near me’ and you’ll find something fun and special to join.”

Both Vincent and Jensen spent much of the past six months preparing for this final. That training takes them away from their families for long spells on the road and all the new champ wanted was to give her mom and dad a hug.
And a cold drink.

“Maybe I’ll have a beer,” she said. “It seems fitting for the occasion.”

The future is certainly bright for the Canadian team. Vincent was eighth in the final three years ago at Tokyo and first-timer Jensen has a chance to build off her strong showing.

“The difference between Katie and I is less than a second,” Jensen, from Chelsea, Que., said. “The 200 is a crazy event. Everyone in that final is a champion. It’s well deserved (for Vincent). She’s been on this team for a really long time and it’s cool to train with her.

“It feels good to finally be here after six long years of fighting for a spot. It’s incredible having two really strong athletes in the final. I think this is the beginning of my story.”

rpyette@postmedia.com

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