It was only a year ago Corbin Hart first gave kayaking a go.
Following that seemingly fateful decision, Lake Pupuke on Auckland's North Shore has become his second home for the last 12 months – so what better place to find out you're off to the Paralympics?
Hart is one of two para canoe athletes representing New Zealand in Tokyo in August and told 1 NEWS he’s still coming to terms with the honour.
“It's just weird but it's going to be mean,” Hart said.
Hart will join Rio Paralympian Scott Martlew, his mentor and now teammate, in Tokyo.
“Corbin is very keen and wants to learn so I've sort of been trying to help him out as much as I can,” Martlew said.
While Hart is new to the sport, he and Martlew have plenty in common.
Both suffered freak injuries that claimed a leg. Both were competing, and winning, as para athletes within 10 months of their accidents.
“I was already paddling when I had my accident,” Martlew said.
“I was starting to think about wanting to go to the Olympics and everything for kayaking and then I had this accident and it sort of changed to Paralympic dreams, basically.”
While Martlew's Paralympic dreams include coming home with a medal, his protege is still just taking it all in.
“I'm excited 'cause I'm like, the underdog,” Hart said.
“It's good - I got nothing to lose.”
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