As the nation held its breath, Lisa Carrington was out of hers.
After winning the gold medal in the K1-200, she showed extraordinary endurance and determination to get up for the K1-500 final to seal her place in New Zealand Olympic history.
"It is a reflection of the last four years," Carrington said.
"Ultimately it's really exciting and it gives me a bit of determination to keep pushing."
Carrington's bronze saw her become the first New Zealand woman to win two medals at the same Games, moving alongside Barbara Kendall and Valerie Adams with three Olympic medals.
"It's pretty cool. Those ladies are amazing.
"They've been to a few more Olympics than me so I still don't feel like I've quite got to their level. To even be named amongst them is such a privilege for me."
Carrington's performance at Rio's Lagoa today was a privilege to watch for her family too.
Her mother Glynis has seen first-hand the hours she's put in over the last four years, as Carrington fought for a place on the podium behind Denmark's Emma Jorgesen and the gold medal winner, Hungary's Danuta Kozak.
"Our hearts are still pumping, adrenaline is still going," said Glynis.
"We can see the hard work that she puts in, the hard work her support crew puts in.
"For it to come to fruition for her on this day is pretty amazing."
There was a nervous wait for Carrington and her coach Gordon Walker though, after a tense photo finish in the sprint for the line.
"That's when she really fought for it," said Walker.
"She knew that she had to do every single thing she could on every single stroke.
"That's what she wanted to do ... she went right up into the medal contenders. That's testament to her character and how much she wanted to fight. That was cool."
Walker's plan now is to celebrate Carrington's success with the rest of her family and supporters, but the triple Olympic medallist already has one eye on the next Games in Japan 2020.
"It's something that I've definitely thought about," said Carrington.
"You still have to make the national team and still qualify for Tokyo. It's a little while away.
"I feel like there's more ... we put all of this training in and hopefully we go faster. There's always more growth."
Before that training begins Carrington can stop, reflect and breathe in her historic achievement in Rio.
Jeff McTainsh / Newshub.
