New Zealand canoe sprint paddlers Aimee Fisher and Dame Lisa Carrington. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The brother of Aimee Fisher says it would be an extraordinary end to the Olympics if New Zealand could see two Kiwi kayakers on the podium.
Fisher and Dame Lisa Carrington 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.
Carrington was the fastest qualifier for the semifinals with a 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.
After Aimee Fisher's heat, she and her brother Rob had lunch together and talked over the race. He told First Up's Nathan Rarere that she was in good spirits and looking forward to the next race.
"It'll be competitive...There are some great challengers and then of course that New Zealand connection.
"It is awesome for New Zealand Aotearoa to have two wahine at the absolute peak of their powers in this event."
He singled out Tomara Csipes of Hungary as an "an absolute threat".
Csipes won her heat in 1.50.21 and has recorded an unofficial world's fastest time at the Hungarian trials. She also won the European championships earlier this year. Kayaking does not record world's fastest times because of the number of variables like wind and water flow.
"Whatever happens Saturday will be an awesome end - or near end - to these Olympics. It is one of the last events.
"It is all getting set up for Aotearoa to enjoy."
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.
But Rob Fisher said he was incredibly proud of his sister and all she has achieved, whatever the outcome.
"People don't realise how much hard work, discipline and energy goes into being on the world stage. The grind and level of sacrifice to get there is unreal. So much goes on behind the scenes just to get here to the Olympics."
Rob Fisher said he would be cheering her on in the semi-finals and, hopefully, the finals.
"I'm a bit of a yeller. You think you are cool and collected and then as it gets to the end of the race you've got this uncool scream going on. I'm just a proud brother."
