Alicia Hoskin

Hoskin was selected for the junior canoe sprint world championships in 2017 when, as a 17-year-old, she underwent what was initially thought to be a routine pre-departure health check.

Hoskin required a cardiac ablation, a procedure that scars tissue in the heart to block abnormal electrical signals.

[1][2] Hoskin wanted to continue to compete internationally after the heart surgery and moved to Auckland to train with the Canoe Racing New Zealand high performance squad.

At the 2023 Canoe Sprint World Championships in Duisburg, Hoskin won a gold medal in the K‑4 500 metres with Lisa Carrington, Olivia Brett and Tara Vaughan.

This was a historic win for New Zealand[6] and the sport of canoe sprint, being the first ever time the K4 500 world title had been won by a country outside of the traditional European powerhouses.