Olympics-Canoeing-Carrington grabs another gold as New Zealand win kayak double race

By Philip O'Connor

PARIS (Reuters) -New Zealander Lisa Carrington again lit up the nautical stadium at Vaires-sur-Marne on Friday by winning her seventh Olympic gold medal with a typically dominant display together with Alicia Hoskin in the women’s kayak double 500m race.

On a day that featured four medals and many tight finishes, the Kiwis blasted into the lead in their final, leaving the rest of the field in their wake as Carrington’s gold rush continued, adding to the one she got in the kayak four on Thursday.

"It’s really surreal at the moment and will probably take a little bit to sink in, but it’s the paddling I love and I love this team. Nothing could ever beat that feeling,” the 35-year-old Carrington said.

The winning time of 1:37.28 was more than two seconds faster than silver medallists Tamara Csipes and Alida Dora Gazso of Hungary, and the official result of the race came after an agonising wait for the remaining competitors.

It ended in joy for the second Hungary boat, crewed by Noemie Pupp and Sara Fojt, and Germany's pairing of Paulina Paszek and Jule Marie Hake. Both crews received a bronze medal after finishing in a tie for third place.

The men's race was much tighter, with Germany's Jacob Schopf and Max Lemke winning gold in 1:26.87, just ahead of Hungary's Bence Nadas and Sandor Totka, while Jean van der Westhuyzen and Tom Green of Australia took the bronze after a photo finish.

China's Xu Shixiao and Sun Mengya powered to victory in the women's canoe double 500m final in an Olympic record 1:52.81 and broke the mark of 1:53.73 that they had set earlier on Friday to retain their Olympic title.

“We just tried our best to get this medal, we were really determined to win this Games. From the first Games (in Tokyo) to now, and from the start line to the finish line, we just tried to be our best selves," Sun said.

Ukraine's Liudmyla Luzan and Anastasiia Rybachok came in second to take silver, with Canada's Sloan Mackenzie and Katie Vincent finishing third.

With a tailwind providing some of the choppiest waters seen at the Nautical Stadium, Xu and Sun had an excellent start but the Canadians kept the pressure on before fading in the final stretch.

The final race of the day to decide the men's single canoe competition was won by Martin Fuksa of the Czech Republic, with Brazil's Isaquias Queiroz taking silver and Serghei Tarnovischi of Moldova picking up the bronze.

(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Alison Williams, Clare Fallon and Ken Ferris)