Dame Lisa Carrington isn't planning on taking too long to enjoy her historic achievements at the 2024 Halberg Awards, as she continues to prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympics in July.
Dame Lisa, 34, who has dominated her K1 and K2 events for more than a decade, took home her sixth Helberg Sportswomen of the Year award and third Halberg Supreme award at Wednesday night's event.
However, our most successful Olympian isn't showing any signs of slowing down, as she eyes claiming even more silverware in six months time.
"I can't wait, it's a big year, but I'm super excited," she said.
"We'll be working hard for the team, so just looking forward to the year ahead."
Carrington will unfortunately have fewer opportunities to snag medals at the upcoming games after the K1 200 event was axed from the Olympic programme - an event she had won three consecutive golds in.
Despite this, having dominated multiple events at the most recent World Champs, the Kiwi will still have plenty to fight for.
Carrington will go head-to-head with fellow Kiwi Aimee Fisher in the K1 500. The six-time Olympic medalist just beat out her countrymen at the Canoe Racing World Cup in Hungary last May, and the pair will be some of the favourites going into Paris.
She will also combine with Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan in the K4 boat - a crew that claimed a historic win in their 500m event at the 2023 ICF Canoe Sprint & Paracanoe World Championships in August.
'We've got such an awesome team, on and off the water, so it's just so special and I'm just so privileged to do what I do," Carrington explained.
A key member of that team is coach Gordon Walker. After guiding the New Zealand women's sprint kayak contingent to three world titles, he was honoured with the Halberg Coach of the Year award for the fifth time.
"Gordie [Gordon] does so much for me and my teammates and the rest of the sport," said Carrington.
"People like him don't get the recognition all the time and we push them pretty hard as well because we want to be the best."
Like his athletes, Walker won't be resting on his laurels for long.
"Our biggest focus at the moment, we've obviously got the Olympics which is only six months away, it's pretty amazing to say it's only six months away, it feels like we just left Tokyo."
"But really looking forward to it, being a part of a special Olympics with a special team."
