SEATTLE — Most of us will never achieve world domination. Most of us are also not Seattle native Nevin Harrison.

The 19-year-old has already struck global gold in three different international competitions in her specialty event, sprint canoeing’s grueling C-1 200 meters. She finished ahead of the pack at the Tokyo Olympics final in June in the race’s Summer Games debut. In so doing, Harrison became the first American athlete to medal in any sprint canoe or kayak event in nearly 40 years. Remarkably, and most disappointingly, she will not even get the opportunity to garner gold back-to back as her event is currently not on the docket for the Paris Games in 2024.

All the same, the distinguished alum of Seattle’s Roosevelt High School succeeded in adding to a prestigious hardware collection that already included first place finishes at both the World Championships and Pan American Games in 2019.  Prior to Harrison’s victory, no American sprint canoeist had ever been crowned champion at Worlds.

Harrison’s remarkable ascension to the summit of sprint canoeing may well not have ever even happened were it not for a medical diagnosis several years ago. She was discovered to have hip dysplasia in her early teens. The condition prevented her from continuing to run track as a middle schooler, thus ending one athletic dream, only to embark upon another. As a child, Harrison had actually told her mom, Laura, that she intended to compete at the Olympics one day. Her goal was to speed to victory in both the 100 and 200 meters.

Sometimes life has other plans for us.

Harrison discovered canoeing during high school while taking part in a sailing camp on Seattle’s Green Lake. She fell in love instantly. Before long, she was competing formally, and winning big, churning the waters furiously and leaving the field in her wake time and time again.

Now studying kinesiology at San Diego State University, Harrison plans to continue training at nearby Chula Vista and Mission Bay, in abiding alliance with her decision to pursue a degree in the science of human body movement.

“I’m strong and I’m good at this.” Harrison told NBC Sports after her triumph in Tokyo.

In an age where far too many deliver such bold proclamation with no substance to support such, Harrison has more than earned the right to crow just a little bit.

No brag. Just fact.

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