“Lisa is a phenomenal athlete… winning the K1 200m three Olympics in a row, and adding both K2 500 gold with Caitlyn Regal earlier this week and K1 500 gold today is an exceptional effort. “, declared the Minister of Sports and Recreation. Grant Robertson said in a statement after Carrington’s run.
“She is tough, resilient and remarkable, and deservedly the most decorated New Zealand Olympian.”
Robertson said Carrington “is rightly celebrated for her discipline and work ethic, as well as for her integrity and for showing appreciation for the people who have helped her along the way.”
“New Zealand is very proud of its accomplishments.”
With 17 medals to date, the minister said the New Zealand Olympic team “is on the way to a possible medal record”.
“This is our greatest Olympic team of all time, and each of them has made us proud. Given the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, preparing for these Games has been incredibly difficult for all the athletes involved.
“People talk a lot about the importance of resilience in high performance sport, and this team has all shown they have it in spades.”
“It was a truly remarkable Olympic Games for New Zealand. To deliver a performance of this magnitude, you need a great team and I want to congratulate our athletes who have inspired the nation with what they have accomplished.
“We may not have the same resources as many of our international competitors, but these athletes have indeed left their mark on the world.”
