VAIRES-SUR-MARNE, France – Nevin Harrison got here one agonizing a centesimal of a second away from successful her second gold medal within the ladies’s 200-meter canoe dash Sunday, however in some methods the Paris Olympics expertise was extra fulfilling than her final.
“I feel this one was much more particular as a result of I bought to go hug my household proper after,” Harrison mentioned. “I would not commerce that for the world. So I positively bought yelled at by safety simply now trigger I went via the gate, however giving my mother, my dad, my boyfriend, all them hugs was so price it. I feel I might take this Olympics 1,000,000 occasions over the past one as a result of I used to be in a position to share it with the folks that I really like.”
Harrison took silver in probably the most tightly-contested 200-meter dash in Olympic historical past, ending in 44.13 seconds however dropping to Canada’s Katie Vincent (44.12) in a photograph end.
Each racers shattered the earlier world report of 44.5 seconds set by Canada’s Laurence Vincent-LaPointe in 2018.
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Yarisleidis Cirilo Duboys, the primary Cuban to succeed in an Olympic ultimate in canoeing, took bronze in 44.36 seconds.
“Going, I feel I heard 44.1 is unbelievable and unprecedented, and I knew that I may go that quick and I am certain she did, too,” Harrison mentioned. “So lastly placing these occasions down and breaking that world report that occurred so way back, positively I am certain felt good for her and I am extremely completely satisfied for her. That is bought to be the perfect accomplishment ever. However I am additionally pleased with myself. I put that point down, too, and hers might need been a hundredth of a second quicker, but it surely’s nonetheless a world report in my coronary heart.”
Past Saturday’s race, Harrison mentioned she was pleased with how she navigated a troublesome highway to get again to the Olympics after successful gold as an 18-year-old in Tokyo, when spectators had been largely absent from the video games due to COVID.
She battled again accidents and psychological pressure lately, and final week tore ligaments in her neck whereas coaching that harm so unhealthy she mentioned she was in tears after a observe run on Tuesday.
On Saturday, Harrison wore a lidocaine patch on her neck to numb the ache. She mentioned she plans to get imaging when she returns to the U.S. to find out the extent of the harm.
“I feel a 12 months in the past I did not actually know if I used to be going to have the ability to get right here in any respect, so I feel being right here within the first place was a blessing in and of itself and any medal that I might deliver dwelling could be even only a cherry on high, actually,” she mentioned. “You all the time surprise, what if I did not harm myself final week? What would I’ve been in a position to do? However finally you may’t change what’s occurred and you actually simply must take it daily and that is what I’ve achieved and I could not be extra proud.”
Vincent, who took a bronze earlier within the video games as a part of Canada’s 500-meter canoe doubles group, known as Saturday’s race “probably the most unbelievable C1 (canoe single) finals that has in all probability ever occurred for our sport.”
Harrison acknowledged she was “a bit of disenchanted” along with her end, however mentioned she will not spend an excessive amount of time obsessing over what she may have achieved completely different.
“It’s lower than a blink of an eye fixed for certain, however that is what racing sports activities are,” she mentioned. “That is what sprints are. It is all the time going to be by measures which you can’t even see. And is it honest? Not all the time, however it’s what it’s. And I feel finally we will not actually fault ourselves for that. All of us went on the market and gave it one hell of a go, and I am pleased with everybody that lined up.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Comply with him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
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