Olympic gold medallist Lisa Carrington’s outstanding achievements are to be recognised by the naming of the accessway running from West End Road to the Whakatāne Surf Life Saving Club premises in Ōhope.

The previously unnamed road through Mahy Reserve is to be named ‘Carrington Lane’, following unanimous approval for that proposal from the Ōhope Beach Community Board, the Surf Club, the Carrington and Mahy families and the Whakatāne District Council’s Projects and Services Committee. Mayor Tony Bonne says that while the proposal fell outside of the District’s road naming policy, Councillors strongly supported the adoption of the new name at Thursday’s Committee meeting.

“Given Lisa Carrington’s involvement with the Surf Club, this would be a particularly fitting recognition, which is likely to be well-supported by the community,” he says. “Our community is immensely proud of Lisa’s achievements, and her positive approach to life. She is a remarkable role model for our young people and for aspiring sportspeople around New Zealand.”

Amongst her achievements on the international sporting stage, Lisa Carrington has three world championship gold medals, in addition to her 2012 Olympic gold in the K-1 200-metre canoe sprint event. She has also won world championship silver and bronze medals in the K-1 500-metre event. She was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2013 New Year’s Honours, for her services to kayaking, and was chosen as New Zealand’s Māori Sportsperson of the Year in 2012.

Signage for Carrington Lane is expected to be in place by mid-August.