It was in the build-up to the Tokyo Olympic Games that Alicia and her teammates realised the secret to making the K4 go as fast as possible was understanding and celebrating each paddler’s difference and then figuring out how these differences could come together to make the boat run.
“We saw real value in everyone bringing their authentic selves to the team — both on and off the water, (and) it’s exciting to see what was planted in 2020 is still growing today.”
This got Alicia thinking about life in a far broader sense.
“It was percolating in my mind and I started thinking about how I could encourage young people to really appreciate who they were, and help them see that their uniqueness can actually make a difference,” she says.
“We are all super heroes who each bring a unique and different power — there’s not one that is better than the other.”
She felt the best way to bring each superpower to the surface was not by comparing to anyone else, but “discovering and staying true to our own superpower”.
Alicia has had the opportunity to talk in a number of schools, where she has asked various children to share their superpowers.
She says their answers are simply amazing.
“Things like helping mum when she is stressed, or making their friends laugh when they are sad . . . some (of their answers) have been so heart-warming.”
She then flips the question and asks the kids to share what they think are their friends’ superpowers.
“It is (about) recognising and celebrating other people’s differences. It is really cool to see them pick out different qualities that they love about their friend — with the friend standing there listening.”
The end result is that youngsters learn how valuable it is to celebrate differences.
When asked what her superpower is, Alicia’s answer is very different now from what it was when she was younger. Alicia thought her superpower was tied up in sport.
“That was an integral part of my identity. Everyone knew me as the ‘sporty kid’.(Sport is) what I loved to do, it’s what I thought I’d always do . . . until I was faced with what could have been a career-ending heart condition.”
At that point, she had to consider what it would mean if she could never paddle again. Alicia then realised her superpower was more about that fierce determination to always get the absolute best out of herself, in whatever she was doing. Sport is currently a vehicle she can use to express who she is.
“It fuels and energises me,” she says.
“I love pushing myself to the absolute limit to see how far I can go. But I know this is just for a season.”
Her other superpower is the ability to bring people together and help them to get the best out of themselves.
Much like the Bayleys ethos, community has always been important to Alicia. When watching the Rio Olympic Games, it wasn’t only the sport that captivated her, but a story about fellow paddler Mike Dawson who headed to the favelas (Rio’s slums) before the Games, to distribute food and spend time with struggling families. Dawson’s actions resonated with the up-and-coming athlete.
Alicia told her mother, Toni, that when she got to the Olympic Games, she too wanted to be part of something bigger — to compete and live in a way that uplifts others.
“My partnership with Bayleys Gisborne is providing me with the opportunity to connect with our local schools and do just that.”
Her world is busy with as much training off the water as on.
“Kayaking is so intricate — you are always balancing individual development with team development. It is very technical and skill-based (and) fine-tuning skill and body movements is so important — especially when there are three others in the boat.”
Alicia has learned a lot from Lisa, who is universally celebrated as an extraordinary talent in kayaking.
“She has taught me to be where my feet are,” says Alicia.
“It’s something she holds strong to and it has helped me learn to stay grounded (when) expectations and pressures rise as we reach for higher goals.
“A lot has happened in a short time, so it does feel like a bit of a whirlwind sometimes. Having someone like her to learn from has been invaluable.”
She says she is often asked if she has days when she just doesn’t want to get out on the water or train.
“I know what a privilege it is to do what I do. So, on days when it is raining and cold, I ask myself if I would rather be anywhere else . . . and the answer is always ‘no’.”
Next month, Alicia and the team will be heading to the World Champs and Paris Olympic Games qualifier in Germany.
They will do a six-week training camp leading into the qualifier, where the main focus is to qualify the K4 because it is the only opportunity to qualify that boat.
Alicia is also an Olympic ambassador and, for the past year-and-a-half, she has been to schools around New Zealand.
For Bayleys Gisborne director Simon Bousfield, partnering with Alicia makes perfect sense.
“She aligns with the values we have,” he says.
“We are very community focused and a lot of sponsorships are with youth and helping them thrive. They are our future.”
He says Alicia’s positive message can’t help but inspire others to go that extra mile and feel good about themselves.
