Paris 2024 Olympics: Q&A with Kiwi K2 paddler Lucy Matehaere

K2 paddler Lucy Matehaere, who will be teaming up with Aimee Fisher, is in action at the Paris Olympics on August 6.

Did you always want to compete or did that come later in life?

Definitely a dream since childhood. There’s actually a video of my middle sister and I when we were 4 and 2, running around the house and my mum asks what we are doing... we replied, “training for the Olympics”. I switched from surf lifesaving/basketball to kayaking with the intention of trying to make it all the way to the Olympics and nine years later – here we are.

What’s your first memory of watching the Olympics?

Sarah Ulmer winning gold in Athens 2004.

What’s your goal for these Games?

My goal for the Games is to fully express our potential and to light up our lane while doing so. I want to race from a place of excitement, confidence and gratitude, and of course – leave everything out there on the water!

Who have been your biggest supporters in aiming for that goal?

My whānau – parents, sisters and grandparents as well as my partner Josh and his family. I would not be here without them helping me get back up when things get tough.

If you were there as a fan, which athlete or event would you most like to watch?

I would love to watch the basketball, as would my dad.

What would be your second Olympic sport if you were to pull a Hamish Bond?

I’d probably jump across to rowing and try a pair with my sister Hannah.

Is LA 2028 on the cards or might this be it?

Yep, LA was the long, long-term goal! It’s exciting to know that many of the team are still young and there are many more girls up and coming so it will be another big four years.

What’s your immediate plan post-Paris?

Travelling and staying with my family back home in Dunedin. Plus I’d like to go on some adventures which I usually wouldn’t be able to do while training full-time, for example – skiing, mountain biking and surfing.

What’s your favourite performance by a Kiwi at an Olympics?

One of the highlights for me was Zoi Sadowski-Synnott’s phenomenal final run to win the gold in the slopestyle, the first gold for NZ at the Winter Olympics. Not only was it breaking history, but you could truly see the immense courage it took to pull that out on the final run and nail it – that’s just so impressive!