File photo. Olivi Brett, Lisa Carrington, Alicia Hoskin, Tara Vaughan from New Zealand win gold in the women's four final. Canoe sprint at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium-flat water, Paris, France on Wednesday 8 August 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Dame Lisa Carrington admits to plenty of nerves as she returned to international competition in Italy.
Carrington, who was called up to the elite squad as an injury replacement, has helped the K4 win their heat at the World Canoe Sprint Championships in Milan.
Carrington, Alicia Hoskin, Tara Vaughan and Lucy Matehaere recorded the second fastest time in all the heats and have automatically qualified for this weekend's final.
The eight time Olympic and 15 time World champion was the first day into a holiday in Tahiti when she was called up to replace the injured Olivia Brett.
Carrington had planned to not compete internationally in 2025 but had kept training and managed three weeks with the K4 before the start of the champs.
"I didn't think I was going to be as nervous as I was out there," said Carrington, who will also team up with Vaughan in the women's kayak double 500m.
"I was pretty nervous but it was so good to do it in the K4."
Aimee Fisher won her heats of the K1 1000 and K1 500. She goes straight to of the 1000m final and into the semi-finals of the 500m.
The men's K4 of Grant Clancy, James Munro, Kacey Ngataki and Kalani Gilbertson were third in their heat to move through to the semi-finals.
Quad Thompson was second in his heat of the K1 1000 to progress to the semi-finals.
Para athlete Peter Cowan won his heat of the VL3 200m to qualify for the final.
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