To win one Olympic gold medal is an achievement that takes years of hard work and sacrifice.
To then defend that same gold medal, with a different partner, takes the success to a whole new level.
Welcome to the world of New Zealand’s Lisa Carrington, now just one win away from joining Germany’s Birgit Fisher-Schmidt as the most successful gold medal winner in the history of Canoe Sprint.
Carrington brought up Olympic win number seven on Friday in Paris, piloting Alicia Hoskin and winning the women’s kayak double 500m gold, a title she claimed with Caitlin Regal in Tokyo three years earlier.
“We just had a plan, we just stuck to our strategy and our strengths, and I guess at the end of the day it’s the performance that we can put together,” Carrington said.
“Crossing the line, it wasn’t relief, or ‘wow we did it’- it was more like it felt so cool to do it together. It will sink in eventually that we have just won the gold medal, it’s just nuts. I’m sure Alicia doesn’t even realise that’s she’s going to have two gold medals around her neck.”
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When Regal announced her retirement after Tokyo, a decision had to be taken about her replacement. Carrington is not giving much away on how that decision was taken, but on Friday, she was happy with the result.
“It’s just the best two that work together, and I think that Alicia and I proved that we can do great things,” Carrington said.
“It’s about the collective as well, it’s about the K4 and the K2, and the K1. We’ve got a complete buy in on all three, I mean it’s amazing. I can’t believe that we’ve come here and been able to achieve it.”
Step forward 24-year-old Alicia Hoskin. Part of the K4 crew that went agonisingly close to a medal in Tokyo, but ultimately going home disappointed. And then fighting back to create history with New Zealand’s first ever K4 gold in Paris.
And relishing the chance to give it another go in Paris, and also grabbing with both hands the chance to join Carrington in the K2.
Of course most would say, who wouldn’t take the chance? But with that role comes the pressure of joining a boat which won gold in Tokyo and is piloted by one of the greatest the sport has ever seen.
“It (the pressure) didn’t cross my mind too much,” Hoskin said after Friday’s gold.
“Obviously I was super nervous because I know what it takes to race a race like this and to race countries like this with such huge legacy in the sport. So, obviously there was a lot of pressure.
“But to have the courage and bravery to do it with Lise, lean on each other, lean on the team, I felt quite confident going into today. It was scary, it was nerve-wracking, but knowing our preparation, trusting each other, there was no-one else I would rather do it with.
“That’s how I could meet that pressure that I could feel.”
New Zealand on Friday became just the third country to go back-to-back in the women’s K2 500m, after Hungary and the former Soviet Union. Only a fool would bet against New Zealand becoming the first to win three in a row come Los Angeles 2028.
