Eight Olympic gold medals and one bronze define the career of Lisa Carrington, a flatwater canoeist from New Zealand. Born in 1989 in Tauranga, she emerged as the country’s most successful Olympian. Her dominance spans over a decade, beginning with her initial gold in the K-1 200 metres at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
Early Development and Transition
Raised in Ōhope, a town near Whakatāne, Carrington participated in netball during her youth and aspired to become a Silver Fern. Her education took place at Whakatāne High School and later at Massey University in Albany. By late 2010, she commenced training under coach Gordon Walker, shifting her focus toward professional canoe racing.
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Carrington achieved international recognition in 2011 at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Szeged, Hungary, where she won the K-1 200 metres title. This victory marked the first time a woman from New Zealand secured a world title in the sport. Following this, she achieved three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the K-1 200 metres event across the 2012, 2016, and 2020 Games.
Olympic Records in Tokyo and Paris
At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Carrington won gold in the K-1 500 metres and the K-2 500 metres with Caitlin Regal, becoming New Zealand’s most decorated Olympian. In the 2024 Paris Olympics, she repeated this success by winning the K-1 500 metres, K-2 500 metres with Alicia Hoskin, and the K-4 500 metres event, matching the record for winning all three distances at a single Games.
Honours and Personal Life
Carrington has received numerous accolades, including the NEXT Woman of the Year in Sports for 2014 and multiple Halberg Awards. She was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2013 and later promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2022. She married Michael Buck in 2022 and has announced plans to aim for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Fast facts
- Born: 1989, Tauranga, New Zealand
- Total Olympic Medals: 8 Gold, 1 Bronze
- Key Olympic Events: K-1 200m, K-1 500m, K-2 500m, K-4 500m
- Education: Massey University; Whakatāne High School
- Appointed Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit: 2022
- First Gold Medal: 2011 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships
- Spouse: Michael Buck
- Notable Recognition: NEXT Woman of the Year: Sports (2014)
Questions readers ask
How many Olympic gold medals has Lisa Carrington won?
She has won a total of eight Olympic gold medals as of the 2024 Paris Games.
Did Lisa Carrington compete in sailing?
While recorded as a canoeist and kayaker, her international career is defined by flatwater canoe racing.
