Triple Olympic medallist Lisa Carrington has been awarded the Lonsdale Cup for 2016 after a year of stellar performances on the water.
The 27-year-old from Ohope Beach topped off 2016 with a successful Rio Olympic Games campaign. Here Carrington claimed two medals, becoming the first New Zealand woman to win two medals at one games, including her second Olympic Gold medal on the trot in the K1 200 event. This Olympic title, alongside a bronze medal in the K1 500, saw Lisa honoured with the role of New Zealand's closing ceremony flagbearer.
The Lonsdale Cup is awarded annually by the New Zealand Olympic Committee to a New Zealand athlete (or team) who has demonstrated the most outstanding contribution to an Olympic or Commonwealth sport during the previous year.
The award was won last year by Lydia Ko, and has been claimed five times by Valerie Adams in the past decade.
Heading into 2016 Carrington had well and truly established herself as the one to beat on the water having won gold at the Canoe Sprint World Championships in the K1 200 every year since 2011 (plus Olympic Gold 2012), as well as consecutive podium finishes over three years in the second of her two events, the K1 500.
Carrington passed on her thanks to New Zealanders for their ongoing support.
"It is a great privilege and honour to receive the Lonsdale award, it's not the recognition I strive for but when it does happen it's extremely humbling," she said.
"We have had amazing success this year in sport so I am proud to be a part of an amazing group of athletes."
Carrington has been coached by Gordon Walker since late 2010 and credits his confident direction, strong teamwork and sense of trust as crucial success factors in their partnership.
"Gordy works incredibly hard to help me pursue my aspirations and I thank him greatly for that," she said.
New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO Kereyn Smith congratulated Carrington on her award.
"The 2016 Olympic Games were a great success for our New Zealand Team and without a doubt the thrill of Lisa's two medals on Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon were a highlight for supporters both in Rio and at home," she said.
"Lisa has forged her place in the history books by becoming the first female to win multiple medals at a single Olympic Games and she continues to inspire young New Zealand men and women through her efforts."
After a brief break out of the boat in the second half of 2016, Carrington has since returned to training and is looking towards the 2017 international season which culminates in the Canoe Sprint World Championships in Wales next August.
As far as the next four years are concerned, Carrington has decided to continue paddling and, in her words, "it's because I love what I do".
