Seattle teenager wins gold in first ever Olympic women’s 200m canoe sprint
Aug 5, 2021, 12:14 PM
Nevin Harrison of Team United States reacts to winning the gold medal in the Women's Canoe Single 200m Final A of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Sea Forest Waterway on Aug. 05, 2021. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
(Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
A Seattle teenager is now a gold medalist in a brand new Olympic sport.
Nevin Harrison, 19, a graduate of Roosevelt High School, won gold early this morning at the Tokyo Games in the 200 meter canoe sprint. She passed Laurence Vincent Lapointe of Canada for the gold.
Two athletes with Washington ties win Olympic medals
Clean start, clean finish.
We can't get enough of this historic win by @nevin_harrison. #TokyoOlympicspic.twitter.com/RvDbVXdiXa
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 5, 2021
The 200m sprint was added this year as part of a push for gender equity, as the Associated Press reports, which means Harrison has made history as the first woman to win gold in the 200m canoe sprint.
Harrison been canoeing since age 11. She won the 2019 world championship at age 17.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
