E116 | Dame Lisa Carrington

Episode summary | Dame Lisa Carrington

Dame Lisa Carrington is New Zealand’s most successful Olympian of all time with five gold medals and one bronze medal during her canoe racing career to date.

For over a decade Lisa has been the best in the world at her sport. In addition to her Olympic medals, she has 12 World Championship titles, has won the Supreme Award at the Halberg Awards twice as well as being named Sports Woman of the Year five times, and in 2022 Lisa was appointed a Dame Companion to the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to canoe racing.

We were lucky enough to get an insight into the mind of a true champion. From a relentless attitude to training, and incredible discipline, to dealing with intense pressure to perform and self-doubt, this conversation was mesmerizing in places.

Lisa also shares some of her lighter moments including passport slip-ups, gym playlists, superstitions, the power of journaling, and all the best and most entertaining stories from a life on the road.

Show notes | Dame Lisa Carrington

2:05: Halberg Awards, table seating, and wardrobe malfunctions

6:40: A loose circle: gym playlists, red sunglasses, claiming the master bedroom

12:38: Lisa and her passport

18:50: Consistency

20:52: The early years in Whakatane

29:13: “…she uses kayaking to be a better person…”

33:08: Lisa’s attitude to training

40:30: Inside the mind of a champion: Tokyo 2021

47:08: Dealing with self-doubt

52:23: Winning the gold medal to become New Zealand’s most decorated Olympian

55:31: Lisa on coaching and building on your foundations

1:01:42: The power of journaling

1:04:24: Covid chat

1:08:44: What’s next?

1:10:19: Being in the hurt locker

1:14:11: A night out after the gold medal in London

1:18:55: Fame (here and abroad)

1:22:22: Recognising accolades

1:26:06: Last words from Steve, Seamus, and Lisa