April 24 (Reuters) – Canoe sprint champion Lisa Carrington was New Zealand's most decorated Olympian at the Tokyo Games and has not ruled out adding to her medal record at the Paris Olympics.
The 34-year-old from Tauranga, who won three golds at Tokyo's Sea Forest Waterway, was named in New Zealand's largest Olympic canoe sprint team on Wednesday, accompanied by five teammates for his fourth Games.
With five Olympic golds and a bronze medal, Carrington has also been named a Dame from a Grateful Nation in the 2022 New Year's Honours.
Therefore, his country has high expectations about his prospects in Paris.
“Dame Lisa” didn't feel the pressure. “Sometimes I think I don't notice the pressure until I'm in trouble,” he told New Zealand media on Wednesday.
“Having won so many medals before doesn't help, but for me it confirms that I'm not limiting myself to what's possible.”
“Obviously there will be pressure, but I accept that I've done things and that people are going to see me (…) but it also brings a lot of support, which is something very special,” he added. .
Carrington won consecutive K1 200m titles from 2012 to 2020, along with K1 500m and K2 500m golds in Tokyo.
He cannot defend his gold in the K1 200m as he has been dropped from the programme, but he will defend the others and compete in the K4 500m.
Carrington has not ruled out participating in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but is focusing on Paris. “Every Olympic Games is a privilege (…) With sport, you never know if one day you can get injured or train again,” he adds.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing in Spanish by Hector Espinosa)
“Typical beer advocate. Future teen idol. Unapologetic tv practitioner. Music trailblazer.”