Jessica takes a piece of Paris home in K1 victory
Victory in Paris is extra sweet for Australia’s French-born paddler Jessica Fox with the Olympic medals containing fragments of iron from the Eiffel Tower.
Jessica Fox reacts with mother and coach former Olympic canoeists Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi after she won a gold medal in the Women’s Kayak Single Final
Photo: DAN HIMBRECHTS/AAP
With her Olympic K1 gold medal containing a small piece of the Eiffel Tower, Jessica Fox’s victory in Paris is extra special for the French-born champion paddler.
An original piece of the Parisian monument is included at the heart of each Olympic medal, which is fitting given Fox’s ties to France.
While the superstar paddler is the pride of Australia after winning the K1 event – her second gold medal in a haul of five from four Games – Fox is also being celebrated in the host nation.
Both Fox and Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, her mother and coach, were born in Marseille and the bilingual ace still has family, including her grandmother, living in France.
Qualifying in eighth place, her stunning run to secure victory in the final at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Sunday afternoon (local time) left Fox-Jerusalmi elated.
“After she finished her run, we celebrated in advance, but we celebrated the fact that she had a good time,” Fox-Jerusalmi said.
“After it was super hard, thinking she could be beaten by the last three and I just hoped for the best but what was good is I thought at least she had a good race.
“When I watched her, it wasn’t technical. I watched the final with the full emotion of this event, and I’m so thrilled and happy for her.”
Fox-Jerusalmi said her oldest daughter had achieved something she never could.
She represented France in two Olympic Games, in 1992 and 1996, where she won bronze in the K1.
“I failed to bring the gold twice in the two Olympics I competed in, and I know how hard it is.
“So just to do it here in this stadium with the family, with the friends that came in, with the family and friends that are in Marseille, glued to the TV, it’s amazing.”
Fox has won two bronze and a silver medal in the K1, which is considered the traditional event with the women’s C1 only added, and won by Fox, in Tokyo.
Gold had frustrated her until now.
“It’s special because since 2016 she could have got it,” said Fox-Jerusalmi.
“She was good enough, she has won multiple world championships, world cups but you know, there’s also some people that are so good outside and never bring a medal at the Olympics.
“This one is special – did you see how beautiful it is with a piece of the Eiffel Tower?
“We wanted the gold so we had to wait and really hope that she could get it.”
Fox also said that achieving the feat on France soil added another layer of joy.
“It’s very special with this French connection – to feel the energy from the crowd and the atmosphere,” the 30-year-old said.
“I’ve been chasing this for a few years and my mum before me was chasing this in ’92 and ’96 so achieve it in Paris is just very special for our family.”
By: Melissa Woods/AAP
