Dame Lisa Carrington can add to gold haul at 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games

Dame Lisa Carrington led the K4 crew to victory in Paris. Photo / Getty Images

Dame Lisa Carrington will be 39 if she attempts to add to her nine Olympic medals in Los Angeles.

But after working alongside Carrington at Canoe Racing New Zealand (CRNZ), Nathan Luce knows one number will have little bearing on the other.

“One thing I’ve seen and learnt over the years is never to underestimate what Lisa can do under any circumstance,” Luce told Newstalk ZB. “Age for her – I’m sure we’ll keep hearing that old adage – it’s just a number.”

Carrington announced on Thursday she would continue to paddle at the top level, writing on social media “and we’re back” while hinting at the possibility of competing at the LA Olympics in 2028.

It had been widely assumed the 35-year-old would call time on her career following another successful Games in Paris, where she won three events to take her tally to eight gold and one bronze medals.

But Carrington maintained her fitness and training throughout the post-Games period before delivering the good news to CRNZ and the wider public.

“She took about a month or so off and resumed training to stay fit and stay a part of the team,” Luce said. “But she kept her formal decision-making process quite private.

“We, along with everyone else, just found out [on Thursday] that it was a formal yes that she’ll take it season by season, which is great. We’re elated as a sport to know that she’ll continue to contribute in the best way that she can to the team.”

Targeting one season at a time leaves open the possibility that Carrington doesn’t commit to the rigours of a full four-year Olympic cycle. But Luce knows that if her body is willing then her mind will be fully committed to whatever goal is set.

“She never does things in half measures, so if she decides she’s doing something, she’ll do it 100% of her capability,” he said. “At the same time, there are no certainties with things, so she’s taking a step-by-step approach like she always does.

“She treats the day with as much excellence as she would a big aspirational goal like winning a gold medal. I know that she’ll treat each day really professionally and carefully, and I think she’ll just take it day by day and paddle by paddle.”

In deciding to prolong her time in the sport, part of the allure for Carrington may have been the fact that many of those paddles will be with the K4 crew she guided to glory in Paris. The veteran developed a close bond and strong combination with young teammates Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan, claiming New Zealand’s first gold medal in the discipline.

Regardless of whether she attempts another busy programme in LA – Carrington and Hoskin also won K2 gold in Paris – Luce believes the impact of her continuing presence will further boost every paddler wearing the silver fern.

“We have a great programme with great athletes now,” he said. “They’re a young group behind her so they’ll continue to work well together, and we have a few other athletes who I’m sure want to sneak in a boat as well.

“It’ll just continue to progress the sport in a positive way. Our environments will be highly competitive and whoever joins those environments, whether the current group or the future group, you can only expect that level to continue to rise throughout the four years.

“It’s exciting to know that there are other athletes who will be learning and growing alongside our Olympic champions.”