Lisa Carrington extended her already unbelievable Olympic record when she won the blue riband canoe sprint K1 500 today.
The victory gives Carrington three gold medals in Paris and eight Olympic gold medals overall, stretching back over four Games.
New Zealand’s next most successful Olympian in terms of gold medals won is Ian Ferguson with four. Three athletes, Peter Snell, Paul MacDonald and Hamish Bond, have won three.
Carrington’s eight golds towers over everyone.
Today she faced several challenges. She’s been beaten twice this season by countrywoman Aimee Fisher. The Hungarian Tamara Csipes was renowned as a fast finisher and the Dane, Emma Jorgensen, was impressive in the semi-finals.
Carrington always makes the fastest start. It’s a special gift that has stood her in good stead for more than a decade.
Today Csipes was away like a rocket, staking all on leading from the start rather than just finishing quickly. Though Carrington was quick, she trailed the Hungarian until halfway.
At the 250-metre mark, Csipes went through in 51.84s to Carrington’s 52.02s.
But the Hungarian was fading. Carrington remained strong and ended up winning by more than a second in 1min 47.36. The Hungarian was second in 1min 48.44s and Jorgensen edged out Fisher for the bronze by 0.15s.
It’s difficult to know what more Carrington can do in her sport. The 35-year-old absolutely ruled the K1 200 until that event was removed as an Olympic race.
She moved up to the K1 500 and has now won gold in that event at the last two Olympics. She has expanded into the K2 500 and the K4 500 and even though the demands of competing in all three distances at one regatta are immense, she has won gold here each time.
Carrington described winning the gold medal as incredible and said it meant a lot.
"After the K4 and the K2 and then this individual race. But it's been like a team event and I've had my three team-mates cheering me on. It's special.
"I knew what the job was and I just reminded myself to make the most of doing something I love and enjoying it. It felt good out there."
She said naturally she was nervous, but that the skill is learning how to manage that and use that feeling to her own advantage. "I'd prepared hard for this and my preparation was enough for a gold medal. I stuck to my own game plan and strategy."
Carrington said she was pleased it had been a competitive race. "I had to not panic when there was someone with me at the 250. I had to race and really earn it and I'm stoked that I could have that fight with Tamara.
"I trained so hard to be fit enough to last the week, but in the end you have to meet the moment, and I was able to do that today."
Fisher, while emotional, struck a philosophical note afterwards. “I felt peaceful and unafraid on the start line,” she said. “I trusted my plan, paddling one stroke at a time, but it wasn’t enough to win the race.”
She said she tried to come back hard later in the race, but it wasn’t enough. “But you know what… the sun still rises!”
After the race there was a nice moment of embrace on the water between Carrington and Fisher. Asked what she 'd said to Carrington, Fisher said: "I just said, 'I'm so proud of you. You raced beautifully.' She was magnificent out there. She's incredible."