Fox makes history with ‘magical’ golden double in Paris

At one point, Jessica Fox might have thought Olympic gold was out of reach.

Yet, the Australian canoeist has turned the odds around, winning her last three Olympic finals, making history, and now setting her sights on an unprecedented treble at Paris 2024.

Fox, 30, originally from France, has dazzled at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, showcasing her dominance in canoe slalom. On Wednesday, she defended her canoe single (C1) title with flair, finishing 2.48 seconds ahead of Germany’s flawless Elena Lilik, despite incurring two penalty seconds for gate contact.

This victory followed closely on the heels of her kayak single (K1) win, which ended a prolonged wait for gold in that event.

Previously, Fox had narrowly missed gold in her first three Olympic finals, falling short by a combined six seconds in a sport where every fraction of a second counts.

In Paris, she has become the first athlete to win two canoe slalom gold medals in a single Games, and her sixth Olympic podium is unparalleled in the sport.

Fox is now the most decorated athlete in Australian Olympic history, surpassing legends like Ian Thorpe, Leisel Jones, Anna Meares, and Shirley Strickland.

“This has been a dream Games,” Fox said. “As an athlete, you put in the blood, sweat, and tears, and the team invests in you. To have it all come together on one day every four years is the best feeling in the world. It doesn’t always go your way, and I’ve experienced that too. To have it turn out this way has made it the perfect Games, so magical to be here in Paris.”

Her Olympic journey began with a K1 silver medal at London 2012 at just 18. Despite bronze medals in the same event in 2016 and 2020, she faced the challenge of bouncing back from her third near-miss in Tokyo, which she described as “the hardest thing I’ve probably ever done.”

That comeback was pivotal. Just two days later, Fox won the inaugural women’s C1 Olympic title, setting the stage for her continued success.

With her legacy firmly established, Fox is now gearing up for the kayak cross event, which starts with a time trial on Friday, August 2. She is pursuing a remarkable treble but acknowledges the unpredictability of this debut Olympic event: “You just never know what will happen.”

Looking ahead, Fox isn’t ready to retire just yet. “I still have another race, so it’s not over yet,” she said. “I still feel good, love the sport, and enjoy it. And we have the World Championships at home in 2025.”