History was made on the first day of medals in canoe sprint at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 

Lisa Carrington, the woman they call "the GOAT in the boat" in New Zealand, powered her country to gold in the women's K-4 500m final. It is New Zealand's first-ever medal in the event and Carrington's seventh in her Olympic career, extending her lead as the most decorated Kiwi in Olympic history. 

The race was extremely tight, with the Kiwis finishing just ahead of traditional powers Germany and Hungary. New Zealand's winning time came in at 1:32.20 and the three teams were separated by just seven tenths of a second. 

More history could be on the way for Carrington, who could become the second-most decorated canoe sprint paddler in Olympic history if she wins two more medals. If both of them are gold, she will enter into a tie for the most gold medals in Olympic canoe sprint history with eight. 

Germany beat out Australia for its second consecutive gold medal in the men's K-4 500m at the Paris Olympic Games. 

It was far from easy, though. Bronze medalist Spain led for most of the race before the Germans and Australians stormed back and made it a two-horse race for the lead.

It looked at the finish as if the Australians had just pulled ahead to take the gold, but it went to a photo finish and it was determined the Germans won by the finest of margins. 

Germany's winning time of 1:19.80 was just four thousandths of a second faster than Australia's.

The gold is Germany's 34th all time in canoe sprint, the most of any country and now four more than the Soviet Union in second place. 

The silver medalists from Tokyo, China's Liu Hao and Ji Bowen, have come back in Paris to take gold in the event.

They set an Olympic best in their heat with a 1:37.40, then won their semifinal to give them a shot at gold. They took that chance and dominated, winning by the widest margin of any gold medalist yet in the canoe sprint events. 

Liu and Ji posted a 1:39.48 to win gold, nearly two seconds faster than the Italian pair of Gabriele Casaedi and Carlo Tacchini that finished behind them. The win gives China just its sixth medal ever in canoe sprint. 

Four finals are on the schedule for Friday, starting with the women's C-2 500m. Medals will also be awarded in the women's K-2 500m, the men's K-2 500m and the men's C-1 1000m. The first medal run begins at 6:40 a.m. ET.