Vincent accomplishes dream of becoming an Olympic champion in canoe sprint
Katie Vincent has joined the growing list of Canadians who have made history at Paris 2024.
Vincent’s gold in the C-1 200m – the third Olympic medal of her career and second in as many days – is significant for a number of reasons. Most notably, it’s Canada’s first ever Olympic gold medal in any women’s canoe or kayak event.
The gold also pushed Canada’s collective medal count over the tally from Tokyo 2020 for both gold and total medals, making it the country’s most successful Olympic Summer Games other than Los Angeles 1984, which was boycotted by the Soviet Union and 13 other countries.
Vincent also set a new world best time in the distance, as she crossed the line with a time of 44.12 seconds.
And more importantly for Vincent, she has accomplished her lifelong goal.
“I have always wanted to be an Olympic champion since I was a kid. I can’t believe it right now. I worked so hard for this, (through) so much adversity. I am so grateful to be here.”
The gold medal comes a day after Vincent won her second consecutive Olympic bronze in the C-2 500m, this one alongside partner Sloan MacKenzie.
READ: Vincent and MacKenzie relish in journey of back-to-back bronzes for Team Canada
The motivation for Saturday’s solo race? The 28-year-old said she didn’t need another bronze.
“I honestly got back to my hotel room yesterday, I said ‘Okay, that’s enough bronze medals for one cabinet,’” she said.
“So I just really wanted to come in today and just try and improve that off yesterday. I think I’m still shaking a little bit. I mean, that’s the fastest I’ve ever gone so to do a [personal best], and an Olympic champion – I don’t have any words right now.”
Three years ago, Vincent raced in her first Olympic Games at the age of 25. In the C-1 200m, she won her first round heat and placed third in the semifinal, which gave her a chance to race for a medal in the A Final. She ended up finishing eighth out of eight paddlers in the final, as the gold medal went to American Nevin Harrison.
Just over a month later, Vincent proved herself to be a threat for the throne, as she became the world champion in the C-1 200m, winning gold at the 2021 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships.
“I think overall I just improved a lot,” Vincent said after finishing first in her 200m heat on Thursday. “I think we were in a really tough place as a team (in Tokyo), just off of the water we had a lot of stuff going on. So, coming into this Olympics we had a lot more positive vibes and energy.”
Good vibes lead to good results – Vincent qualified directly for the C-1 200m semifinal with her opening heat time of 47.22 seconds. In the semifinal round early Saturday, she had the fastest time of the 16 qualified racers.
She had her sights set on one shade of medal in the final, and immediately pushed into the top three with Harrison and Cuba’s Yarisleidis Cirilo.
Harrison, eager to defend her Olympic gold, was pushing ahead of the Canadian with 50 metres to go.
“I just found another gear (after Friday’s bronze) and dug a little deeper in that last 50m,” she said. “You have to hope for the best when you cross the finish line. I ended up on the lucky side of a close race.”
It look as though Vincent had passed Harrison in the final stretch, but one last stroke from the American made for a photo finish for first. The two competitors knelt in their boats for about a minute, anxiously awaiting the results before they appeared on screen – by one-one hundredth of a second, Vincent won gold for Canada.
“It was crazy. I was just waiting and then Canada popped up No.1,” said Vincent, who raised her fist in celebration once the result became official. “It is surreal.”
Not only did Vincent beat out Harrison for gold, she broke the Olympic best time that Harrison had set in Tokyo (44.93 seconds).
It’s also become a tradition that Vincent’s medals mean a little extra something for all of Team Canada. When Vincent won her bronze medal with Laurence Vincent Lapointe at Tokyo 2020, it was the 23rd for Canada, surpassing the total of 22 from Atlanta 1996 and Rio 2016.
With Vincent’s gold today, Canada has surpassed the Tokyo tally of 24. It’s another massive achievement for Canada’s canoe program, and Team Canada as a whole.
“That was special. It is a moment I have been dreaming of since I was a young athlete,” Vincent said.
“My family was there which was super exciting, to get to see them. To celebrate with so many people and so many Canadians in the stands, that is something I will remember forever.”