Paris Olympics 2024: Peerless Carrington grabs more gold for NZ, Dostal wins for Czech Republic

In women’s kayak single 500 metres, Hungary’s Tamara Csipes came second to take the silver medal, with Denmark’s Emma Aastrand Jorgensen picking up the bronze

Silver medalist, from left, Tamara Csipes, of Hungary, gold medalist Lisa Carrington, of New Zealand, and bronze medalist Emma Aastrand Jorgensen, of Denmark, pose during a medals ceremony for the women’s kayak single 500-meter finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Vaires-sur-Marne, France. | Photo Credit: AP

New Zealand’s Lisa Carrington completed a stunning clean sweep of gold medals in her Olympic events at by winning the women’s kayak single 500 metres title in her third and final competition at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Saturday.

Hungary’s Tamara Csipes came second to take the silver medal, with Denmark’s Emma Aastrand Jorgensen picking up the bronze. Carrington grabbed victory after another manifestation of her strong stroking and stubborn will to win.

In the men’s kayak single 1000m race, Josef Dostal of the Czech Republic pulled off an incredible victory, holding off the strong late challenge of silver medallist Hungary’s Adam Varga and Balint Kopasz, who won gold in Tokyo but had to be content with bronze in Paris.

Carrington, often called “The GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) In The Boat” back home, closed out her Olympics by blazing to the win in the solo race in an Olympic record 1:47.36 to add to the golds she won in the kayak four and double events.

Hungary’s Csipes put the Kiwi under enormous pressure, briefly taking the lead, but Carrington came roaring back to win by just over a second, with Jorgensen edging out New Zealand’s Aimee Fisher to take the bronze medal.

Saturday’s gold was Carrington’s eighth Games triumph, making her by far the most successful New Zealand Olympian.

“The Olympics has given me so much more than medals, I don’t think you can calculate how much I’ve learned and grown over the last five years, or whatever it’s been,” an elated Carrington said.

“I think it was just really sticking to my plan, and it’s really hard to do that when you’re out there and the girls are so strong, so I just had to be super-disciplined and trust my fitness in the back end of the race.”

The men’s race got off to a flying start as Portugal’s Fernando Pimenta took the lead, but his challenge faded as Kopasz and Dostal reeled him in.

Dostal then edged in front, paddling frenetically to hold off a late surge from the Hungarian pair to claim the gold in a time of 3:24.07, 0.69 seconds ahead of Varga.