Superstar Fox could line up for fifth Olympics
With six medals from four Olympics, new Australian record-holder Jessica Fox hasn’t ruled out adding to her collection by competing in Los Angeles in 2028.
Gold medallist Australian canoeist Jessica Fox celebrates after winning the Women’s Canoe Single Final at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games, Wednesday, July 31, 2024. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
Australia hasn’t seen the last of golden girl Jessica Fox in Paris and beyond, with the Olympic medal record-holder not ruling out competing at a fifth Games.
Clinching an emphatic victory in the C1, which followed her K1 gold medal in Paris, Fox collected her third gold among a six-medal Olympic haul – the most individual medals won by an Australian athlete.
She also became the most successful athlete in Olympic canoe slalom history, moving ahead of Slovakian legend Michal Martikan.
After missing the double in Tokyo, when a late gate penalty relegated her from top spot to K1 bronze, Fox said winning both events in Paris was “pure joy”.
“I felt like I did my best so the emotion was just happiness and joy in putting down my best race in the Olympic final,” she said.
“The Tokyo experience was so special because it was that first Olympic gold medal but it was mostly relief that I felt, it was like this sick feeling that turned into relief whereas today was just pure joy.”
But the 30-year-old Sydneysider isn’t planning to swap the rapids for a retirement cruise anytime soon.
“I still feel good, I still love the sport, I still feel like I’m enjoying it,” Fox said after her second Paris win.
“We have the world championships at home in Penrith in 2025, so I expect the same crowd that was here today to be there.
“I’m definitely not retiring today.”
Fox still has one event remaining in Paris, with the kayak cross added to the Olympic program for 2024, with her younger sister Noemie also in the field.
The event runs across four days, starting with the time trial on Friday August 2, with the medal decided Monday August 5.
Victory in that would see her join swimming great Shane Gould, in 1972, as the only Australians to have won three individual gold medals at the one Olympics.
Dolphins ace Kaylee McKeown could also join the golden treble club, chasing three individual titles in Paris – the 100-200m backstroke double and the 200m individual medley.
Despite her stellar form Fox said gold was no guarantee in the kayak cross, which involves four competitors on the course at a time, with the fastest advancing on to the next round while the remainder are eliminated.
The paddlers can make contact with their kayak or paddle to push them off-line as they attempt to manoeuvre through the gates, and complete an eskimo (360 degree) roll.
“In kayak cross you just never know,” said Fox, a two-time world champion in the discipline.
“You just have to try and make it through each round and see how you go but it’s hard to plan, it’s hard to have expectations.
“For me it’s just about trying to feel good on the day – I’ll be giving it a red-hot crack but there are so many strong girls, it’s a very strong field.”
One of Australia’s opening ceremony flag bearers and in high demand as one of the faces of the Games, given her French heritage, Fox said she felt she was managing the mental load as well as heavy competition schedule.
“I think you just know that an Olympics you’re going to feel a little bit tired because it’s an emotional ride as well as the physical aspect of it,” she said.
“I felt really good today so I’m just riding that wave.”
By: Melissa Woods/AAP
