Katie Vincent

Katie started paddling at age 10 when she joined a local youth program alongside her older brother. Women’s canoeing was still a developing discipline, which meant she had to use men’s-sized boats and paddles. Katie is recognized as an advocate for women’s sports, having played a key role in the inclusion of women’s canoe sprint events for the first time at the 2020 Olympics.

Katie Vincent first put her name in the history books at Tokyo 2020, where she was a medallist in the first Olympic Games to include women’s canoe events, winning the bronze medal in the women’s C-2 500m. Just over a month after her first Olympic Games, Katie won her first individual world title in the C-1 200m.

After medalling at the 2023 World Championships and securing her spot at the following 2024 Olympic Games, Katie went on to win gold in the women’s C-2 500m at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. She was given the honor of acting as one of Team Canada’s Closing Ceremony flag bearers alongside breaker Phil Wizard.

At the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Katie became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal for Canada in women’s canoe. This C-1 200 m win was not only a first for Canada, but she also wrote her name in the record book with a world-best time of 44.12 seconds. Katie also brought home a bronze medal in the C-2 500m – her second in the event – further cementing herself as a Canadian icon.