Aimee Fisher and Lisa Carrington of New Zealand racing in the final of the women's K2 200m event. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Dame Lisa Carrington and Aimee Fisher are on track for a gold medal showdown at the Paris Olympics after both blitzed the field in their heats of the women's single kayak sprint.
The two Kiwi paddlers booked their place in the K1 500m semi-final on Saturday night (NZ time) with clinical displays in their respective heats, looking a cut above the rest of the field.
Carrington was the fastest qualifier for the semifinals, producing a strong time of 1:48.51 in her heat, while Fisher qualified second in a time of 1:49.16.
The final will be raced later on Saturday night, in what has long been earmarked as a potentially historic day for New Zealand sport.
There are hopes Carrington and Fisher could pull off a one-two finish on the Vaires-sur-Marne course in Paris, and in doing so become the first New Zealanders since Hamish Carter and Bevan Docherty in the triathlon at the 2004 Games in Athens to appear on the same podium at an Olympic Games.
Aimee Fisher. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The big question - and what makes the storyline even more compelling - is, what order the pair will finish in.
Carrington, New Zealand's most decorated Olympian, is the defending Olympic champion in the event. Her achievements in the sport are unrivalled.
But Fisher, who famously withdrew herself from selection contention for the last Olympics in Tokyo due to concerns over the safety of Canoe Racing NZ's high performance environment, has had the edge over Carrington in recent meetings.
Fisher won the past two World Cup titles in the K1 500m event, narrowly edging Carrington in the final of both races.
After winning her heat on Wednesday night, Fisher said she had been building to this moment for eight years.
"It's been a long time coming and I've done every single thing I possibly could. I have left no stone unturned. The work is done, I just want to light up my lane and see what I can do," Fisher told Sky Sport.
She said she would stick to her processes as the final approached.
"I guess I wanted to go into that race with joy and courage, that's been one of my long-term goals… to race at the Olympics unafraid. There can be a lot of fear out there and that's just not how I want to race, even though it's the epitome of our careers. So today felt like a good step in that direction."
The only athlete that appears capable of upsetting New Zealand's hopes of a one-two finish is Hungary's Tamara Csipes, who set an unofficial world's best time in the lead-up to the Games. Fisher officially set the world best mark of 1:46.19 in May, when she won the World Cup in Szeged.
Racing first-up in heat one, Fisher led from start to finish and looked relaxed and free in her strokes.
She won her heat in a time of 1:49.16, with the second-place getter, Brenda Rojas of Argentina, more than 3.5 seconds back.
Lisa Carrington. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Later, Carrington eclipsed Fisher's time in her heat, going 0.8s faster. Carrington was pushed slightly harder in her heat by the Netherlands' Selma Konijn, who produced a slick time of 1:49.28, but the Kiwi great always looked in control.
Csipes took out heat six in a time of 1:50.21.
Carrington has a busy schedule on the Vaires-sur-Marne course this week, where she is hoping to match her triple-gold haul from Tokyo. Her first shot at a medal will be on Thursday night NZT with teammates Alicia Hoskin, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan in the K4 500m.
The New Zealand women's K4 are the reigning world champions in the distance and favourites for gold.
Carrington and Hoskin are also the favourites for the K2 event. The semifinals and final for the K2 500m will be raced on Friday.
