New Zealand kayakers on the top two steps of the podium rounded off the ICF Canoe Sprint World Cup in Szeged, after a truly phenomenal race saw both Aimee Fisher and Dame Lisa Carrington go under the world best time in the Womens K1 500m final and win World Cup medals.
These two women have had some stunning races in the past and this was no exception, with Aimee Fisher snatching the dramatic win over the 15-time world champion in a time of 1 minute 46.19 seconds, just 0.33 seconds ahead of Carrington.
The world best time previously stood at 1:46.465, set by Volha Khudzenka of Belarus.
Defending Olympic Champion Carrington made her trademark firecracker start in the race and was leading by more than a boat length at the midway mark. But Fisher stormed home in the final 250m, catching and passing Carrington just before the finish line to claim an impressive victory.
The smile of Fisher’s face in her post-race interviews said it all. “I didn’t panic, I stayed calm. I could hear everyone cheering us on, I could hear my name being called, I felt like I could hear everyone back home, and it was like there was this love pulling me to the finish line.”
With their other rivals more than two boat lengths behind, the race in Hungary may have been a preview to this year’s Olympic final, with Carrington and Fisher on the New Zealand Olympic team and both expected to race in the K1 500m event in Paris.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games begin on 27th July, with the Canoe Sprint events running from 6-10th August.
תגובות