Rio 2016 Olympics - Two controlled performances have secured champion kayaker Lisa Carrington a place in the K1 500m finals.
Kayaker Carrington came in first in her heat in the K1 500m race in Rio. Photo: AFP
Carrington had a good start in her semifinal, sitting in second behind the Belarusian Maryna Litvinchuk.
She pushed hard in the third quarter but couldn't quite pull the Belarusian back, coming second with a time of 1:56.155.
In her heat, the 27-year-old was initially in second place, just behind the Dane Emma Jorgensen, but nudged just ahead at the halfway mark.
She pushed her lead out to half a boat length, finishing with a time of 1:54.765.
She told Sky Sport after the race that it was tough out on the water, with a very strong field of competitors.
Carrington has already won gold in Rio, taking the women's K1 200m yesterday, making it back-to-back Olympic golds.
Watch Lisa Carrington speaking after yesterday's gold medal win:
Carring told told Sky Sport today: "having to come back to do a heat and semi today really just grounded me, so it is a nice feeling."
She is now well placed to become the first New Zealand woman to win multiple golds in individual events at a single Games.
The Whakatane-raised Carrington, of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki and Ngati Porou descent, is a four-time world champion in the 200m event.
- RNZ