Incredible image of Aussie celebrating on gold medal dais
Aussie canoe queen Jess Fox left no doubt about who is the greatest paddler in the world after winning her second gold medal in Paris.
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Jess Fox cemented herself as one of Australia’s greatest Olympic athletes as she won her second gold medal of the Paris Games in the early hours of Thursday morning (AEST).
Coming out as the second-last paddler at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, the Aussie put down a run more than four seconds quicker than the previous quickest time.
“Oh my word, she’s smashed it,” a commentator on the global broadcast said.
In winning the event, Fox successfully defended her canoe slalom Olympic title from Tokyo and backed up her victory in the kayak slalom event earlier this week.
It takes her into rare territory for Australian individual athletes with three career gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals over four Olympic campaigns.
Fox has now won the most individual medals of any Australian with six medals – and is the most decorated athlete in the history of Olympic canoe slalom.
She joins athletics icon Betty Cuthbert as the only two non-swimmers to win three individual gold medals in Australia’s history at the Games.
Fox also became one of only four Aussie women – Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown and the great Dawn Fraser – to defend an Olympic title.
“It’s quite surreal to be named alongside some of those incredible women, incredible champions of our sporting history in Australia and it just makes me super proud to be Aussie, super proud of my performances here and over the last four Olympics,” she told Nine.
Speaking straight after the event, the 30-year-old said she was “speechless and puffed” as she came to terms with her latest achievement.
Nine presenter Tony Jones said to Fox she had a look of “nothing is going to take this away from me today”.
“Is that how you felt?” he asked.
She replied: “Yeah, I felt quite different today. I felt really relaxed and that was almost disconcerting.
“I was like, okay, I need more nerves here. I need to feel more stressed, maybe.
“But it was perhaps the best state to be in because I just felt this calmness and confidence and felt good in the semi. And I heard, Elena Lilik’s time and it was really fast. And so I was like, okay, game on. It’s a good final.
“And how good, you know, that I can be part of this and try and defend my Olympic title.
“And oh my gosh I can’t believe that it’s in my hands now.”
Richard Fox, who coaches daughter Jess alongside his wife, told Nine: “I think it’s the most remarkable thing she’s ever done.”
Fox, who was one of Australia’s flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony, has a chance for another gold medal in the canoe sprint next week.
She knows she is in “elite company” now, as Jones put it, and said she had been inspired by Australia’s golden girls in the pool.
“It’s pretty special to know that I’ve been able to back it up,” Fox said.
“And definitely felt inspired by Ariarne (Titmus) and Kaylee (McKeown) the other night who were dominating in the pool.
“And I love our team and its so special to be part of this Olympic team and to bring another one of these home for us.”
Fox’s mother and co-coach, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, said her champion daughter’s achievement was unmatched.
“In the sport of canoe slalom, she won’t be beaten by anybody any time soon,” she told Nine.
“The women are the ones that do the double category, you won’t see a lot of guys with double category.
“Extremely proud of what she delivered today because that was the mental effort more than anything else.”
Next up is the chance is another special moment for the Fox family, with Jess’ younger sister Noemie set to compete against her in the kayak cross event.
“I’m really excited to see her make her debut,” Fox said.
“Hope we don't come up next to each other in the first round.
“I think she would not take it easy on me.”
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Originally published as Incredible image of Aussie celebrating on gold medal dais
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