Noemie Fox has gone from autograph seeking Olympic fangirl to a mobbed gold medallist on her arrival home

Canoe superstar Jess Fox has enjoyed the arrival home as an Olympic gold medallist before, but this time it was her sister’s turn.

Noemie Fox still has an autograph book at home with signatures from some of her idols when they returned from Athens.

Twenty years later, she’s now the one taking selfies and greeting kids who idolise her and want to touch her gold medal.

The Fox sisters were the best story of the Paris Games, with Jess adding another two gold medals to her tally before she jumped in the water when Noemie won the newly added kayak cross event.

It was a dream 20 years in the making, with the younger Fox sister emotional when she walked off the plane and into the Qantas hangar where she and the Australian team were greeted by friends, family and the Prime Minister as the youth choir performed the iconic I Still Call Australia Home.

“It was very emotional because I was at the 2004 and 2008 welcome-home ceremonies and I still have an autograph book with Grant Hackett, Anna Meares and Michael Klim which I’ll go home and find,” Noemie said.

Sisters Jess and Noemie Fox share a golden moment. Picture: Rohan Kelly

“Those moments are ingrained in me forever and lit the fire, so to come back here to Australia and hear that for me as I was the one going down the stairs was an emotional full-circle moment.”

Having ridden the highs as Jess had her breakthrough golden moment in Tokyo, the enormity of following in her sister’s footsteps is only just sinking in now.

It’s a family affair for the Foxes, with their father, Richard, in commentary when his daughters won, while their mother, Myriam, was a renowned paddler and is now a coaching great.

“It’s starting to hit home, but it’s still quite surreal,” Noemie said.

“All my work paid off at the perfect time, and that’s all you want as an athlete to arrive physically ready.

“I was so happy to be in Paris and enjoying every moment of it, so to deliver my best on the day and win every battle was a dream come true.

Australia’s flag bearer Jess Fox (2 🥇) just jumped into the water to congratulate her sister Noemie on winning her first gold medal pic.twitter.com/faWLtXOsWH

— robert? (@roberthylton) August 5, 2024

“I knew that I was well in front and that I had it in me, but it was so incredible to hold it together when it matters.”

Jess had already won two golds but was looking to add a third, only to be knocked out of the kayak cross by her younger sister in the heats.

But the pain of missing out was nothing compared to the euphoric scenes after the gold medal race when she leapt into the water to celebrate with her sister in one of the most iconic moments of the Games.

“Personal success and achieving the double was a dream for me, but being able to see my sister do it as well was a different kind of joy,” she said.

“Joy that is shared is so much more powerful and special.

“I jumped in the water, I screamed and had all the tears, so it was very special.”

Australia’s golden girls are all smiles. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Australians have been following Jess from the moment she won silver in London to the heartbreak in Rio and then the magic moment in Tokyo.

And while the time zone wasn’t as friendly this time around, millions of Aussies back home stayed up to watch her dominate in Paris, with the superstar now plotting a three-peat in Los Angeles just like her beloved Panthers have done in the NRL.

“I’m definitely still going and looking to keep the dream alive,” the opening ceremony flag bearer said.

“It’s hitting me now (the impact I’ve had on Australians back home).

“It’s hard to comprehend when we’re in our little bubble in Paris, but when we come home and see this reception and hear stories from all the people who got up in the middle of the night who sent messages and dressed up in their schools and communities is incredible.”

Originally published as Noemie Fox has gone from autograph seeking Olympic fangirl to a mobbed gold medallist on her arrival home