How an Australian canoeist is quietly shaping Meghalaya’s sporting future

Nearly three decades after arriving in India, former Australian canoeist Ian Vincent has become an unlikely force behind the rise of water sports in Meghalaya. 

What began as a personal journey turned into a mission to introduce and nurture canoeing talent in a state dotted with rivers but largely untouched by water sports.

Vincent, now in his early 60s, settled in India after marrying a woman from Kerala and has since made Meghalaya his home. He is also credited with starting the Meghalaya Canoe Association, through which he has been training young athletes and mentoring them to compete at national and international levels.

“I started the sport in the state 10 years ago. We could only bring four students here for the first competition, but now we have around 25 participants,” Vincent said while attending the Khelo India Water Sports Festival.

At a canoeing centre he has set up near a whitewater river in Umtham village, Vincent currently trains about 25 youngsters. Among them is his daughter Elizabeth, who recently competed in the Asian Canoeing Championship in China.

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“We love the place Umtham. We actually live on a whitewater rapid river. Life here is simple but perfect for the sport,” Vincent said, proudly pointing out that Umtham, known locally as “Whitewater Village,” has become a hub for his training programmes.

Over the years, Vincent has organised intensive camps, promoted a motto of “paddling towards excellence,” and guided local athletes through rigorous physical training. He stresses that canoeing, kayaking, and rowing demand special physical attributes, but insists that Meghalaya has potential talent waiting to be polished.

Government support and the enthusiasm of local youth have further strengthened his mission. Vincent says the recent hosting of the 2027 National Games training sessions in Shillong is proof of growing recognition.

“She is the secretary of the Meghalaya Canoeing Association,” Vincent said of his wife, highlighting their family’s deep-rooted involvement in the sport. “I’ve been here since 1997. So my roots are also in India now.”

What began as a solo effort has steadily grown into a movement, with Vincent quietly but determinedly shaping a new generation of canoeing athletes in Meghalaya.