Today, 2X Olympic medallist Laurence Vincent Lapointe joins #OTP to discuss her recently experience at the Tokyo Games, how far women have come in her sport, and gets raw and real about her suspension.

Laurence is fresh off a silver medal in the C-1 200M event and a bronze in the C-2 500M event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. It’s the first time women have been able to compete in the event at the Games, and Laurence shares why she thinks that is and what the future holds for women in the sport.

She also discussed some tough times in her career. As a 13X World Champ, there was a time when she struggled with not winning.  Today she explains how she overcame that. She also dives deep into when she was suspended due to testing positive for a banned substance, which she fought and won. But before it was overturned, she wasn’t allowed to practice or compete, which played a huge role in how she got to the games. Today, she explains it all, and talks about what helped her get through it all.

Laurence also shares her ambitions, what it’s like to be a role model, and what she’s most proud of.  

Episode topics: 

• Her silver and bronze medal wins at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics
• How far sprint canoeing has come for women in the sport
• Strengthening her mental game 
• Overcoming and winning being suspended after testing positive for a banned substance

Quote:  

“That’s why I’m so proud of women in the game and my discipline, because I’ve been told so many times all those ridiculous things…but I’ve also been told “you opened my eyes, I actually didn’t think women could paddle like that.”

-Laurence Vincent Lapointe

Resources: 

Guest Info – Laurence Vincent Lapointe

Instagram: @laurencevincentlapointe

Facebook: @laurencevincentlapointe

Host Info – Christina Heydanus

Instagram: @tinaheydanus

Twitter: @tinaheydanus

Show Info – Opening the Playbook

Instagram: @openingtheplaybook

Facebook: Opening the Playbook