Jess Fox wins gold in the canoe slalom at the Paris Games and defends her Olympic title
Jess Fox has become the most successful Australian Olympian of all time in individual events after winning a sixth medal with her canoe slalom gold.
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The GOAT is now the Olympic GOAT.
Jess Fox has become the most successful Australian Olympian of all time in individual events after winning a sixth medal with her canoe slalom gold.
After flying down the course at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium to beat the standard of Germany’s Elena Lilik by an amazing 2.48sec - despite picking up a time penalty - Fox broke a slew of records to underline her status as the greatest paddler of all time.
As well as surpassing a group of six Australian Olympic legends with her sixth individual medal, Fox becomes the most successful Olympic paddler of all time, eclipsing Slovakia’s Michal Martikan for total number of medals and France’s Tony Estanguet (three gold) for most successful.
The defence of the canoe slalom title she won in Tokyo when the boat was introduced for the women, gave Fox a total of three Olympic gold, a silver and two bronze medals from four Games.
Her fourth consecutive medal in the K1 event in Paris made her the first Australian to achieve that feat at a Games, while she joins chef de mission Anna Meares as the only Australian to win an individual medal at four Olympics.
It’s something Fox can hardly comprehend.
“I’ve never thought about those records,” she said.
“They’ve never felt attainable, or even something that I could possibly dream about.
“Each Olympic experience that I’ve had has been very different.
“Some have been brilliant. Some have been a bit disappointing. And this is just magical.
“But to be named amongst some of Australia’s greatest champions in Olympic history is just … I can’t quite believe it.
“And in our sport, it’s very special following in the footsteps of Tony Estanguet and Michal Martikan because I grew up watching them.”
But Fox is writing a new chapter — and she’s already thinking about her legacy.
“I’m also really proud to be doing it as a woman, so that the little girls of the next gen can do that too,” she said.
Plenty talked up a historic treble for Fox ahead of the Games after the introduction of kayak cross, the rough and tumble event that will captivate fans in the coming days.
But it was an audacious ask.
Suddenly it is within reach, with Fox managing not only to beat her rivals but bring out the best in herself at this Games.
It seems what she’s most proud of.
“I thought I would just feel relief, but I just felt so good, just so happy with pulling out a good run and winning in that way,” Fox said.
“Obviously Gabi Satkova (fastest qualifier) was still to go down after my run but I was just proud of that run.
“If it had been second place (for me today) she would have deserved (the win) because I felt like I did my best today.
“The emotion was just like happiness and joy in putting down my best race and the Olympic final.”
The magnitude of what she’s now achieved though is “surreal”.
“Being able to share it with everyone, standing on the podium just makes me so emotional looking out to the crowd,” 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 this sick feeling that turned into relief, whereas today was just pure joy.”
Fox’s success has been a team affair and she paid tribute to the team behind the team that’s allowed her to thrive.
“It’s not just me, it’s the family behind me, it’s the support behind me,” she said.
“The investment of the Australian Sports system as well since I was a junior athlete - and growing up in Penrith and having that whitewater course from the Sydney Olympic Games and having been a part of that and growing up inspired by the Olympics.
“So much can happen when you dream, when you believe and when you work hard.”
But special praise was reserved for those closest to her.
“There are so many people who have put in work and time and effort,” she said.
“Obviously mum has been my coach since the start and is a big a big one and I’m sure I inherited some great genes from mum and dad to help me get to this point.
“But then the love for it and the fact that I get to do this, is just such a privilege.”
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