Paddler Jessica Fox put herself through test run for the 2016 Rio Olympic
PADDLER Jessica Fox has revealed she has put herself through a special practice run to help her cope with additional as one of Australia’s favourites for a gold medal in Rio.
PADDLER Jessica Fox has revealed she has put herself through a special practice run to help her cope with the additional attention she is likely to attract as one of Australia’s favourites for a gold medal in Rio.
Fox and fellow Penrith paddlers Lucien Delfour and Ian Borrows were officially confirmed in Australia’s Rio Olympic team on Thursday after winning their selection trials last wekeend.
A surprise silver medallist from the London Olympics when still in her teens, Fox said she specifically told officials to heap on the media and sponsor commitments during a regatta last year.
The idea was to turn it into a test run for the Olympics so Fox, 21, could learn to be more comfortable with this type of pressure at the Rio Games and minimise its impact on performance.
“I’ve been lucky because I can mostly take these things in my stride,’’ she said.
“But there are times when it feels like it is too much.
“At the under 23 World Cup at Penrith last year people asked me how much I wanted to do.
“I said yes to everything. Bring it on. I wanted to feel the full load.
“I learned so much from it.’’
Fox was just 17 when she became one of the success stories of the London Olympics with her silver medal on debut.
Her delight in the feat captured the imagination of the Australian public who voted her one of the Games most popular athletes.
With this title has come increased scrutiny on her life and performance in the lead-up to Rio.
Fox will be the only female whitewater paddler in the Australian uniform in Rio with the K1 still the only event for women.
Lucien Delfour will also contest the K1 event with Borrows to race the C1.
“It’s been my goal for the last four years to make it on the team,’’ said Borrows who heads to Rio in two weeks for his first look at the course.
“Watching Robin Bell win bronze in Beijing (2008 Games) was amazing. You learn from them.”
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