Alicia is a World Champion, a double Olympian, and one of just three New Zealand women in history to win two gold medals at one Olympic Games. She is passionate about seeing kiwis be the best version of themselves and having opportunities to contribute to whichever ‘team’ they belong to.
Although Alicia now resides in Auckland, she still considers herself a ‘Gizzy girl’. Raised in Gisborne on the banks of the Waimata River with easy access to some of the best beaches in Aotearoa, it was no surprise that she found a love for being in and on the water.
By the age of 15 she had put other sports aside and started to focus on kayaking, claiming multiple awards, national and Oceania titles along the way. Kayaking ticked so many of her boxes. She thrived on the physical and technical challenge, the camaraderie of the club, and the hope of international competition. However, this all came to a screeching halt when at 17 she was diagnosed with a heart condition, one that could have been fatal if left untreated. She was forced to consider what life might look like without sport.
Looking back, Alicia acknowledges that this experience helped shape the perspective she now has, that sport is something she does and loves, but it does not define who she is.
Being part of a high-performance environment that prioritises and invests in a team approach has given Alicia the opportunity to develop and hone the unique qualities she brings, knowing others are doing the same. Each team member commits to bringing their best selves to the boat, valuing each other, and learning how to be stronger together. Alicia believes that this approach allowed them to claim the World title in the K4 500m in 2023, an event that had never been won by a non-European crew in the history of the sport. The focus of building ‘the mana of the black boat’ set the scene for another first, two team boat golds at the Paris Olympic Games. A result that was testament to the power of connection, on and off the water.
Alicia is known as an insightful and engaging speaker with a contagious zest for life. The way she tells her story and shares her journey gives audiences an enlightening glimpse into what it takes to be an Olympic athlete, what she’s learnt about Team, and how the power-plaits came to be a thing!
Talking Points
The feedback from Alicia's presentation has been overwhelmingly positive, both from students and from the parents who were present. We loved the message about kotahitanga, as it matches up p ... keep reading Hobsonville Point Secondary School
Alicia’s ability to connect with her audience, regardless of age and size is incredible. Her unwavering commitment to her value set, and her obvious work ethic is evident when sharing her message and engaging with those she works with.
