TOKYO • New Zealand's Lisa Carrington continued an extraordinary nine-year unbeaten streak to win the 200m single-kayak sprint in Tokyo yesterday, before also claiming gold in the dual 500m.
Carrington's golden triumphs make her New Zealand's most successful female Olympian, with four golds and one bronze over three Games dating back to London 2012.
Three of the gold medals came in the 200m solo sprint, an event the 32-year-old has dominated without defeat since 2012, a run which also includes six world titles.
Carrington, an indigenous New Zealander who earlier this year was named the most influential Maori athlete of the past 30 years, described her hectic morning at Sea Forest Waterway as "awesome".
"Today was a busy day," she said after the 500m win with partner Caitlin Regal. "It was exciting, the conditions were challenging - it was more than just physical.
"It's unbelievable that we could do that. In training, you're working hard and you think you might have a chance, but to put it together on the day is a special thing."
She has the chance to boost her medal tally when she contests the single 500m tomorrow and the four-woman 500m on Saturday.
Success in either event would take her beyond fellow kayaker Ian Ferguson - who has four golds and one silver - on New Zealand's all-time medal table.
Carrington set an Olympic record of 38.120 seconds in the 200m solo, beating Teresa Portela of Spain (38.883sec) and Denmark's Emma Jorgensen (38.901sec).
She joined Regal less than an hour later and they set another Games record of 1 min 35.785sec in the dual 500m, ahead of Poland (1:36.753) and Hungary (1:36.867).
Hungary's Balint Kopasz trailed Portugal's Fernando Pimenta for much of the men's kayak single 1,000m final, before powering to victory with an Olympic best time of 3:20.643, ahead of compatriot Adam Varga.
Pimenta, who set an Olympic best time in the semi-finals, faded to third.
The Cuban pair of Serguey Torres and Fernando Jorge started slowly but produced a strong finish for an Olympic best time of 3:24.995 en route to gold in the men's canoe double 1,000m competition.
China's Liu Hao and Zheng Pengfei had to be content with silver, ahead of Germany's Sebastian Brendel and Tim Hecker.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
