Paris Olympics 2024: Jess Fox reveals her retirement plans but insists she’s as hungry as ever

A year out from the Paris Olympics but Jess Fox’s mind is in 2028 and 2032. How many more Olympic cycles can the Aussie superstar commit to? She reveals all in her column.

Jess Fox says she remains as hungry as she has ever been

It is hard to believe that it’s already only one year to go until the Paris Olympics, but I can’t wait.

Obviously, it was only a three gap after Tokyo instead of the usual four years but it’s still coming around so quickly and it’s a reminder there’s no time to waste.

The one year to go moment is always really exciting because it brings a lot of athletes together for a bit of a celebration but if you’ve been feeling a bit of a lull, it’s also the moment that can kickstart everything.

I’ve been to three Olympics and loved each one but I have a feeling that Paris is going to be something extra special.

My first Games was in London (2012). I was 18 and I had just finished school and the Olympics had been my dream since I’d watched the Sydney Games on TV as a kid.

Having that experience at London, which was such an incredible Games, really lit the flame for me. Just being there and soaking up the atmosphere really drove home what the Olympics was about: 10,000 athletes from all over the world, the best of the best all pushing themselves and rising above all their challenges to perform on the world stage under immense pressure and achieve their dreams.

Australia's Jess Fox wins gold in Tokyo

It was just such an incredible experience for me that made me want to keep coming back. And obviously winning silver…if my career had ended there, I would have been pretty happy because it was a dream come true to get an Olympic medal.

But obviously I wanted a bit more and it was just the start of my Olympic journey.

Rio in 2016 was a different experience as well. Still very special, but a bit disappointing personally. And then obviously Tokyo, which I really went well in.

Winning that gold in Tokyo was the dream come true because of the achievement and the personal satisfaction and pride and relief and joy that goes with sharing it with those who helped me.

WHY I CAN’T CONTEMPLATE RETIRING

No one can take that away and I’m so proud of that effort. But of course, it still leaves me hungry.

Each time I’m at a competition start line, I’m starting to feel that Olympic build up and that just makes me more determined.

So while I definitely feel in one sense I have achieved that and everything else from here is a bonus, I can’t just end it there.

I feel like I haven’t reached my potential and that I really am still improving and still driven to push myself and try and compete on that stage.

The glimpses that we’re seeing of the Paris plans, they look absolutely incredible. Paris has so much history and culture and art and a passion for sport and they’re trying to bring all those things together.

I think it’s going to be incredible and I really love the idea of having the Opening Ceremony on the Seine.

Fox wants to compete beyond paris but isn’t sure about brisbane in 2032

I think that’ll be the most watched and accessible Opening Ceremony ever because obviously the banks of the river will be filled with people and the athletes will be parading on boats instead of in a stadium.

That will be a really unique experience and something we’ve never seen before.

It looks like they’ve been really creative in the way they’re trying to take sport to the masses to showcase the beauty of Paris and the rest of France to the whole world. I just hope that they can pull it off because it looks like it will be incredible.

VIVE LA FRANCE

For me, Paris is also special because I have a strong connection to France. Being born there and having a lot of my family there, it would be amazing to be able to compete there.

Of course, I haven’t qualified yet, and it’s not an easy process. There are limited spots so I’m not taking anything for granted and my focus right now is just always looking to improve any way I can to give myself the best shot at making it.

But one thing I know for sure. If I do make the Australian team for Paris, I don’t want that to be the end of my Olympic journey.

I don’t feel ready to retire after Paris. So the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles is potentially something I would aim for.

Brisbane 2032 feels a long way away, but I definitely want to be involved, whether that’s as an athlete or as a volunteer or an organiser or in the Australian Olympic Committee team or maybe in the media.

I’ll be 38 at the Brisbane Games so I just want to be a part of it in some way, because the Olympics are a part of me.