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Sport | Lisa Carrington

Lisa Carrington makes it seven in a row

Lisa Carrington on the start line for the K1 200 final (image: Planet Canoe YouTube)

Kiwi kayaker Lisa Carrington (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou) has claimed her seventh successive K1 200 world title, beating her rivals in the final of the ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in Szeged, Hungary.

30-year-old Carrington showed that she’s in no danger of slowing down either, winning the final by an impressive 1.94 seconds (39.39 overall) ahead of Poland’s Marta Walczykiewicz.

Denmark's Emma Jørgensen, who was runner-up to Carrington in the world champs the last two years, had to settle for third, just one-hundredth of a second back from Walczykiewicz. Her time was 41.34, equal with Teresa Portela of Spain, which meant the pair share bronze medals.

"It was cool to be back in Szeged eight years on from my first world championship victory in the K1 200m," Carrington said post-race.

"I really experienced those similar feelings of excitement and nerves. It was very special to come back here and qualify New Zealand a boat for the K1 200m for next year's Olympics. Eight years ago, that was all I wanted to do - go to the Olympics. So, to still be world champion today and qualify a boat for the Olympics is really special.”

It is the first of three potential gold medals for Carrington, who will race in the K1 500 final. She will then team up with Kayla Imrie, Aimee Fisher and Caitlin Ryan in the K4 500 final.