Paris Olympic Games: Blaxland High School celebrates former students Jess and Noemi Fox

Forget the kangaroo, at Blaxland High School, the national icon is a Fox — in honour of former students and Olympians Jess and Noemi Fox.

It’s the one school in the country where an Australian icon isn’t a kangaroo, but a fox.

At Blaxland High School hundreds of students and teachers gathered on Friday to celebrate local Olympians and school alumni Jess and Noemie Fox.

The entire school cohort donned fox costumes, green and gold, and even dressed up as canoes, to cheer on the Olympic paddling sisters on “Fox Day”.

Some came to school with canoes, others in Jess and Noemie masks.

The message was clear — this school is behind the Fox girls.

Jess Fox training at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium. Picture: Michael Klein

Blaxland High students at the school’s Fox Day: Brianna Randall, Viti Young, Rhys Camilleri, Lara Schuetrumpf and Emily Boyes. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We are a school that likes to have fun,” said principal Emma La Marquand.

“It’s a key part of the school and something we are really committed to.

“I had kids impromptu sing the national album for me. We had kids in a kayak.

“We had the most amazing Fox cake you’ve ever seen in your life, and just lots and lots of energy.

“I’m hoping the kids haven’t lost their voices cheering today and can sustain it because we’ve got 10 days of Fox competition happening.”

While the Olympic paddlers may have graduated some time ago, (Jess graduated in 2011, and Noemie in 2014) their legacy lives on.

School photos of Jess (top) and her Noemie Fox.

The sisters in Paris for the Olympic Games. Picture: Adam Head

The public school has turned out an extraordinary number of athletic students, with more than 50 kids playing sports at a national and state level.

Bradley Wood is following in Jess and Noemie’s wake, with the 18-year-old training four times a week to make the under-23 World Cup slalom team.

Inspired by the Fox sisters, he said that he couldn’t excel in sport, without the support of his school.

“There isn’t a lot that people expect from the public schools because a lot of the private schools produce the athletes. But I think it’s the support that comes from Blaxland High School, the teachers, the community, everyone just wants to help us succeed,” he said.

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