She has reigned supreme in the 200 metres kayak singles for as long as anyone can remember and twice bettered the Olympic best on a glorious summer’s morning.

She clinched her third consecutive Olympic gold medal in 38.120sec after dominating throughout to maintain an unbeaten sequence which stretches back to 2011.

Teresa Portela of Spain made a late burst to win silver in a time of 38.883, 0.763 seconds behind Carrington.  

Emma Jorgensen of Denmark so often a silver medallist was forced to settle for the bronze medal in 38.901.

"Today was about taking just one race at a time," Carrington said.

"There’s a plan, and it was just about executing it. For me, it was just trying to stay in the moment and doing the best I can. We’ve worked really hard and knew today was going to be a big day."

Carrington then teamed up with Caitlin Regal to win the women’s 500m kayak doubles in a time of 1min 35.785sec - the fourth Olympic gold medal of her career.

Once again, the race was a supreme example of leading from the front.

Poland’s Karolina Naja and Anna Pulawska took silver 0.968 seconds behind in 1:36.753

Hungary’s 2016 gold medallist Danuta Kozak, this time partnering Dara Bodonyi, had to settle for bronze in 1:36.867.

There was a thrilling conclusion to the men’s 1000m canoe doubles where Cuba’s Serguey Torres Madrigal and Fernando Jorge Enriquez timed their attack to perfection to win their country's first sprint canoe gold. 

The 2019 Pan American Games champions turned on the power in the last 250m to win in 3:24.995 from long-time race leaders Liu Hao and Zheng Penfei of China who clocked 3:25.198 for the silver medal.

The bronze medal went to Germany’s 2016 gold medallist Sebastian Brendel and Tim Hecker in 3:25.16.

"A lot of work went into this," Torres Madrigal said.

"I have tried to get into an Olympics and get a medal for 15 years and I can’t quite believe it at the moment.

"We have had a tough year and everyone has had a tough year going through the pandemic.

"So I am very happy to be here after everything that has gone on."

In the men’s 1000m kayak singles world champion Balint Kopasz led a Hungarian one-two.

Kopasz took gold in 3:20.643 after striking out for in the last 250m.

At the finish his compatriot Adam Varga came through to take silver in 3:22.431.

Fernando Pimenta of Portugal who had raced head-to-head with Kopasz for so long was eventually edged out into bronze in 3:22.478.

"I worked so hard for this medal," Kopasz said. 

"Since I was 15 I had no private life and I worked all my life for this success. Now finally I can relax and focus a little more on my private life."