(Montreal) Céiste Laurence Vincent Lapointe can finally breathe a sigh of relief. After months of uncertainty, she secured her place on the Canadian rowing team at the Tokyo Olympics.
Canoeing and the Canadian Olympic Committee announced the list of 16 athletes Wednesday morning in a statement. La Trifluvienne will comment on its selection later today.
The multiple world champion needed a permit to secure her ticket to Tokyo, where the women’s canoe will make their Olympic debut. Vincent Lapointe was already beaten in the National Trials by teammate Katie Vincent in March at C-1.
Vincent Lapointe and Vincent had hoped to qualify for the C-2, but the continental qualifications were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In addition, Quebec could not attempt to qualify in 2019 since it was suspended on suspicion of sports-doping. She was eventually acquitted, but never had a chance to qualify for the Olympics.
Therefore, Canoeing Canada had to take its case to the International Canoeing Federation (ICF).
The 29-year-old won 13 gold medals at the World Championships in the discipline.
Other members of the team include Marc de Jong, a veteran who won bronze in the K-1200m at the 2012 London Olympics. Nova Scotian qualified in K-4 with teammates Pierre-Luc Paulin, Nicholas Matvev and Simon McAvish.
Quebec’s Adrien Langlois will compete in her second Olympic Games in kayaking.