Lisa Carrington during her heat of the K1 200m at the Rio Olympics. Photo: Getty Images
The defending Olympic champion in the event led her heat and semifinal from start to finish, qualifying for the final fastest overall, in a time of 39.56. Earlier she won her heat in 40.42, finishing a boat-length ahead of second-placed Francis Laia and Natasa Douchev-Janic.
Her final will take place overnight at 12.47 tomorrow morning (NZT), before going on to contest the K1 500m a day later.
Fellow Kiwi Marty McDowell failed to advance from the heats of the K1 1000m. Needing to finish in the top five, or be one of the three best sixth-place getters, McDowell finished seventh. He was fourth through the first 250m, but fell back to sixth by the halfway point and neve recovered.