Ohope kayaker Lisa Carrington is now a world champion after winning gold in the K1 200m race at the Canoe Sprint World Championships in Hungry.

Ohope Kayaker Lisa Carrington on the water at the Canoe Sprint World Championships in Hungry. Source: Reuters

The 22-year-old has become the first woman in New Zealand to claim the title.

Lisa won her heat and semi finals in Szeged, Hungry overnight and beat the 2009 world championship silver medallist Marta Walczykiewicz in a time of 40.472 seconds.

The win qualifies Lisa for the Olympics in London next year, where the K1 200m will be a new event in the 2012 games.