As friends and family watched on at the Ōhope Chartered Club, Lisa Carrington's nan Doreen broke away from the crowd and moved closer to the big screen to watch her granddaughter make history.
After all, it's not every day your granddaughter becomes the most-decorated Olympian in New Zealand history.
Doreen told 1 NEWS after the K1 500m final in Tokyo she didn't get closer to the screen for a better view.
"I just wanted to touch her," Doreen said through tears.
"I'm just so proud of her and she's just amazing and you got lost for words.
"I'm overwhelmed, I'm lost for words."
It was an emotional afternoon for the Carrington family.
Doreen, along with Carrington's parents Pat and Glynis, were all at the bar and bistro in Ōhope to watch the race where Carrington won her third gold of the Tokyo Games so far.
One person who wasn't present though was Carrington's late granddad Maurice, who Doreen said would've loved the moment.
"I kind of feel sad as well as happy," Doreen said.
"Her grandfather would've been proud of her."
Carrington has now won five gold medals as well as a Rio bronze since making her Olympic debut in London in 2012.
Half of that haul has come from Tokyo alone with titles in the K1 200m, the K2 500m alongside Caitlin Regal, and now the K1 500m.
Hundreds of school children were also at an Auckland fanzone to watch New Zealand Olympics history.
Carrington's fiancé Michael Buck watched today's action from the Cloud on Auckland's waterfront, telling 1 NEWS he was in awe of his partner.
"She's a superwoman," Buck said.
"It's inspiring, it's amazing to watch and it's a privilege to be involved with but ultimately she's also just Lisa from Ōhope.
"You saw her [after the final], she's incredibly humble and down to earth."
Her latest triumph saw her surpass fellow canoe sprinting great Ian Ferguson for most Olympic medals won by a Kiwi - a benchmark she said isn't getting to her.
After today’s gold medal, she's overtaken another kayaker, Ian Ferguson, as the kiwi Olympian with the most medals and the most golds.
"Crazy. There's a lot of talk, people saying, 'You could do this, you could do that,' but for me, it was just making sure I just did what I could do, not focusing too much on the what ifs," she said.
"It's taken me five years to have that courage to get back out there and do something that is really scary and hurts a lot.
"I hate it, but I love it."
Carrington will now look to finish her campaign by pushing the benchmark even further when she chases a fourth medal in the K4 500m, starting with tomorrow's heats.
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