TOKYO -- A late surge by Katie Vincent and Laurence Vincent-Lapointe pushed the Canadian duo over the finish line for a bronze medal -- and pushed Canada over its medal total from Rio.
Seconds later, a congratulatory pat on the shoulder pushed both athletes overboard.
Vincent and Vincent-Lapointe took an early lead in the women's canoe double 500 metres, but quickly fell behind and crossed the halfway mark in fifth.
With the Chinese boat pulling well ahead of the pack and Ukraine alone in second, it became a race for bronze between Canada and Germany.
Vincent and Vincent-Lapointe dug deep to pull into third with just a few metres to go.
"To come away with the bronze today was really special," Vincent said.
"Obviously we were going for gold, but you know, it felt so good."
It's the first Olympic medal for the 25-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., who finished eighth in the final of the women's 200-metre solo race on Thursday. Her partner took silver in that contest.
The win was significant for Team Canada, giving the country its 23rd medal in Tokyo. That's one more than the Canadian total in Rio, and the most ever for the country in a non-boycotted Summer Games.
This is the first Games where women's canoe events have been included, something Vincent-Lapointe -- who dominated the sport for much of the past decade -- fought hard to achieve.
"These Games, I waited long, long, long for them, and I've given everything I have, and I'm super proud that I was able to finish this on such a great note with Katie," said the 29-year-old from Trois-Rivieres, Que.
"I understood in the last few years that working by oneself is good, but working with a team -- and a good team -- is even better."
That team spirit was on display shortly after the pair crossed the finish line when Vincent, sitting in the back of the canoe, gave Vincent-Lapointe a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. Vincent-Lapointe appeared to reach back to embrace her partner but lost her balance, tipping the boat and sending them both tumbling into the Sea Forest Waterway.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2021.
