Olympic Champion Lisa Carrington's Definition of Home

Dame Lisa Carrington grew up moving from schoolhouse to schoolhouse across rural New Zealand, never imagining she'd become her country's greatest Olympic athlete. Today, the nine-time Olympic medalist opens up about how those humble beginnings shaped her understanding of what makes a house a home.

Carrington's childhood was anything but ordinary. Her parents, both teachers, moved the family through small rural communities including Manawahe near Rotorua, Edgecumbe, and Ōpōtiki before finally settling in Ōhope when Lisa was 8 years old.

Those early homes were simple weatherboard houses with three bedrooms, but they came with an incredible perk. Living next to the schools meant the Carrington kids had access to pools and massive backyards in the school grounds, perfect playgrounds for an athletic family.

The beach became Lisa's backyard when her family settled in Ōhope, and it transformed everything. She and her brothers Shaun and Brett spent hours in the ocean, surfing and training for surf lifesaving before rushing back to the kitchen to refuel.

Those plum trees and homemade treehouses might seem worlds away from Olympic podiums, but Carrington credits that outdoor childhood for building her athletic foundation. The freedom to explore, the constant movement, and the connection to nature created the champion she would become.

Sunny's Take

What stands out most in Carrington's story isn't the medals or the glory. It's her reflection on what she hopes for in her current Auckland home with her husband Michael Buck and their dog Colin: "I hope that my family finds this place comforting when they walk in the door."

From those simple schoolhouses to buying her first home after the 2012 London Olympics, Carrington learned that home isn't about size or luxury. It's about light blue built-in bunks that transport you back to childhood, views of the beach from the lounge, and creating spaces where the people you love feel safe.

Her parents still live in that Ōhope family home, the one with the ocean view and memories in every corner. When Dame Lisa Carrington visits now, decorated with every honor New Zealand can bestow, she's still that girl coming in from the beach, ready to sit in the lounge and soak in the comfort of family.

Home, it turns out, is the foundation that launched a thousand victories.