Alicia Hoskin (born 6 February 2000) is a New Zealand flatwater canoeist. At the 2024 Summer Olympics, she won two gold medals, in the K‑2 500 metres and the K‑4 500 metres events.
 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Born | 6 February 2000 Gisborne, New Zealand |
| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Sport | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Sport | Sprint kayak |
| Club | North Shore Canoe Club |
| Partner | Elliot Snedden |
| Coached by | Gordon Walker |
Medal record | |
Early life
editBorn and raised in Gisborne, she attended Gisborne Girls' High School where she was the Head Girl (2018). A member of the Poverty Bay Kayak Club there, she was coached by 1984 Olympic sprint canoeist Liz Thompson. She attended Massey University studying Sport Development.
Canoeing
editHoskin was selected for the junior canoe sprint world championships in 2017 when, as a 17-year-old, she underwent what was initially thought to be a routine pre-departure health check. Unfortunately, cardiology tests revealed Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, which is present at birth and can cause rapid heartbeats and even heart failure. Hoskin required a cardiac ablation, a procedure that scars tissue in the heart to block abnormal electrical signals. It involved feeding a catheter up one of the veins in her leg and through the wall of her heart to the other side.[1][2]
Hoskin wanted to continue to compete internationally after the heart surgery and moved to Auckland to train with the Canoe Racing New Zealand high performance squad. Hoskin made her World Championship debut in Szeged in Hungary, finishing ninth with Caitlin Ryan at the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships – Women's K-2 500 metres.
In June 2021 Hoskin was one of four women's paddlers selected to the New Zealand team to compete in Tokyo for the delayed 2020 Summer Games,[3][4][5] placing 14th in the K2 500m, alongside Teneale Hatton and 4th in the K4 500m, alongside Hatton, Lisa Carrington, and Caitlin Regal.
At the 2023 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Duisburg, Hoskin won a gold medal in the K‑4 500 metres with Lisa Carrington, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan. This was a historic win for New Zealand[6] and the sport of canoe sprint, being the first ever time the K4 500 world title had been won by a country outside of the traditional European powerhouses.
In April 2024 Hoskin was named[7] in New Zealands largest ever canoe sprint team for the Paris Olympic winning gold in both the k4 500m ( with Lisa Carrington, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan), and K2 500m with Lisa Carrington.
The K4 win was the first by a non European country in Olympic history and the only country outside Germany and Hungary to follow a world championship win with an Olympic gold. In the K2 500, the kiwi pair repeated the gold performance in Tokyo of Carrington and Caitlin Ryan in a commanding win.
Awards and honours
editHoskin was named Canoe Sprint Athlete of the Year at the Canoe Racing New Zealand 2020 Sport and Recognition Awards.
References
edit- ^ Guy, Barry (13 August 2020). "Alicia Hoskin: From heart surgery to Olympic hopeful". Radio New Zealand.
- ^ "Young canoe sprinter realises Olympic dream after overcoming career-threatening illness". TVNZ. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ France, Marvin (6 June 2021). "'Fuelled the fire': Alicia Hoskin's journey from heart surgery to Olympian". Stuff. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- ^ Malcolm, Jack. "TOKYO BOUND: Gisborne's Alicia Hoskin named in K4 crew for Tokyo Games". www.gisborneherald.co.nz. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ "NZOC unveil women's canoe sprint team for Tokyo | CRNZ | Sprint, Surf Ski & Marathon". CRNZ. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
- ^ "Historic victory for Women's K4 as they claim World Championship crown". RNZ. 26 August 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
- ^ "New Zealand Names Largest Ever Women's Canoe Sprint Team for Olympic Games". New Zealand Olympic Team. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.