Lisa Carrington and Dan Carter, two of New Zealand’s greatest ever athletes, are used to delivering in the most intense situations.
Whether Carter is preparing to take a kick at goal for victory for New Zealand’s mighty All Blacks or Carrington is arriving at the start line for another Olympic kayak final, these two Kiwi stars know how to rise to the occasion.
Carter, who was part of the New Zealand men’s team that won the Rugby World Cup in 2011 and 2015, invited Carrington to talk on the latest episode of ‘The Pressure Cooker with DC’ series on YouTube.
As well as sitting down with Carter to share her mindset strategies, Carrington got the rugby union star into a boat and on – and in – the water.
“I feel sorry for you having to tip the water out every time, bet you’re not used to doing that,” said Carter after capsizing again.
Carter admitted kayaking might not be his sport but thoroughly enjoyed his chat with Carrington who continues to shine with a double-bladed paddle in her hands.
Carrington has accumulated eight Olympic titles after capturing a hat-trick of gold medals at Paris 2024 and is now setting her sights on LA28.
During Carter’s 15-minute chat with Carrington, the 35-year-old gave an insight into how she manages to cope under the highest pressure.
Reflecting on Paris 2024, Carrington said: “In the K2 with my teammate Alicia (Hoskin), we were talking to each other as we were rolling in (for the start of the final).
“I said ‘Alicia, okay, calm, weight down low, breathe, relax’.
“And we had the best start we have ever had.
“I thought you know what I am going to do that in my K1 so I started talking to myself out loud, saying ‘calm, relax’.
“I went up, super stable and had an amazing start.”
While Carrington has achieved plenty of individual success, she has also enjoyed being part of a team as she memorably anchored New Zealand to their first-ever Olympic gold in the K4 500m.
“For me in the individual races, you have to be the strongest, fastest, fittest and all that,” said Carrington.
“While they are 100 per cent part of the equation, when you put a team together it’s like they do not have as much weight as the connection you have with someone, the ability to trust someone and someone to trust you.
“What was amazing for me stepping into the team and finally doing really well like we did in Paris was that when I kind of gave up wanting to become the best individual or even the best team player, I found that let’s just do the job, let’s enjoy it and do it together.
“I learnt heaps about myself and changes I can make about being more compassionate to others and myself because really I am trying to enhance constantly and so to enhance I need to rely on others that need to rely on me but I also need to find a way to make them better and make it not be about me anymore.”
Carrington described her glittering career as “a huge self-awareness journey”.
“It’s like I am scared because I really want to win but I also might not win,” said Carrington.
“I think do I accept both outcomes?
“Yep, I understand there are both options.
“I understand that I am really competitive, and I want to win, but it’s also okay if I don’t.
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“That’s the first step in thinking now what can I do?
“What do I love about what I am going to do?
“So I am trying to find ways to find joy in the task, to find a real love for what I am doing because when I love what I am doing, I don’t care about where I finish.
“At the end of the day, all we have is that moment.
“Yes, if you win you have medals but really it is the memory of the task.
“Sometimes I will just go to my coach and be like ‘I am actually really scared’.
“’I am worried that I might not win today, I am scared because I did this thing in training and I am worried that I have not nailed the task yet’ and he will be like, ‘cool, that’s okay’.
“Sometimes just saying it out loud, I think that’s better.”
Carrington added: “Since I was 20, I have been in this space of wanting to be the best athlete, the best version of a human that I can be.
“I just don’t know if that will stop for me, no matter what I get into next.”
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