A dominant force in flatwater canoeing, winning numerous Olympic and World Championship titles, and breaking multiple world records.
New Zealand's most successful Olympian, Dame Lisa Marie Carrington, has taken the world of flatwater canoeing by storm, accumulating an impressive haul of five gold medals and one bronze medal throughout her illustrious career.
Carrington's journey to greatness began with a bronze medal at the 2009 World Cup regatta in Szeged, Hungary, where she competed alongside Teneale Hatton in the women's K2 1000 metres event. This early success was followed by a gold medal win at the 2010 World Cup regatta in Vichy, France, cementing her position as a force to be reckoned with in the world of canoeing.
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Carrington made history by winning her first gold medal in the Women's K1 200 metres event, a feat she would repeat in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, making her the first athlete to win three consecutive gold medals in the event. Her impressive performances did not stop there, as she also won gold in the K2 500 metres at the 2020 Summer Olympics, alongside crewmate Caitlin Regal, and as an individual in the K1 500 metres.
Born in Tauranga, New Zealand, Carrington was raised in the satellite town of Whakatāne in the eastern Bay of Plenty. She is of Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki and Ngāti Porou, as well as European descent. Attending Whakatāne High School and later Massey University in Albany, Carrington's early life was marked by a passion for netball, with aspirations to become a Silver Fern. Her dedication to her craft eventually shifted to canoeing, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In 2010, Carrington began working with coach Gordon Walker, a partnership that would prove instrumental in her success. Her partnership with Teneale Hatton also yielded significant results, with the pair winning three gold medals at the 2010 Oceania Canoe Championships and becoming the first New Zealanders to reach a World Championship A final at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poznań, Poland.
In 2022, Carrington married her longtime partner, Michael Buck. Her dedication to her craft is matched only by her commitment to her personal relationships, a testament to her well-rounded character.
As the golden paddler continues to break records and inspire generations, her legacy will undoubtedly be etched in the annals of canoeing history, a beacon of excellence for athletes around the world.
