Noemie Fox to follow in family footsteps and join sister Jess at Paris Games

Noemie Fox has earned Australia one of three Olympic quota spots in the new Olympic discipline of Kayak Cross, to secure her spot on the Australian Olympic Team alongside sister, Jess Fox.

Canoeist Noemie Fox will follow in her family’s footsteps and achieve her Olympic dream after qualifying for the Paris Games.

The daughter of canoe slalom World Champion, Richard Fox and World Champion, Olympic bronze medallist and Hall of Famer, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, and the younger sister of Olympic gold medallist, Jess, Naomie was nothing short of exceptional at the ICF World Cup in Prague to secure her spot on the Australian Olympic Team.

Fox, 27, competed in five back-to-back races on the last day of competition to make the World Cup final and then went on to produce a remarkable come from behind race to claim the silver medal and earn Australia one of three Olympic quota spots in the new Olympic discipline of Kayak Cross.

Noemie Fox will join sister Jess at Paris Games. Picture: Paddle Photography

Already a champion in her own right, Fox has seen the top of the podium on multiple occasions already. A two-time gold medallist at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in 2019 and 2023, Noemie is set to chase her first Olympic gold alongside her sister Jess as they strive for success in Paris side-by-side.

“It’s been such a long journey and I feel so grateful to have had the most incredible support team here with me and to be able to celebrate it and join the Australian Olympic team, and join my sister, it’s so incredible and I’m so happy,” Noemie said after the World Cup success.

“To be able to line up with Jess as well and the other two Australians Tristan [Carter] and Tim [Anderson] it’s just going to be so incredible and I can’t wait to start thinking about that journey.”

Like her sister Jess, Noemie has been coached by her mum Myriam who competed for France at the Olympics in canoe slalom. Myriam, on the sidelines in her canoe and kayak coaching role, couldn’t hold back her excitement when she realised she would have her two daughters competing for Australia at the Olympics.

“I feel ecstatic. It’s a dream, it’s like an Olympic gold for me to have two girls at the Olympics. It’s a dream come true for Noemie. She’s been working hard and Pierre [Coach] had a good strategy preparing for today… I’m just so happy,” she said.

Noemie Fox produced a come from behind race to achieve silver at the ICF World Cup. Picture: Paddle Photography

With the Kayak Cross discipline making its debut at Paris, Fox knew the enormity of the last day of World Cup competition but still wanted to enjoy the final ride.

“The semi final with the reigning World Champion, past World Champion and European medalist was probably the hardest thing. So once I got through that and I was in the final, I was just wanting to enjoy it and not come last, and that’s what I did.

Paddle Australia Kayak Cross Coach, Titouan Dupras, said Noemie’s preparation for this one day of racing has been well over a year in the making.

“She has been dreaming about this day [of competition] for a year, she didn’t race in London [World Championships] just to get ready for this race. And she did it!

“It’s a mentally draining day because she started at 9am this morning and it’s nearly 4pm now, and she spent all day doing run after run and making her way through to the final. It’s amazing,” he said.

From here, Paddle Australia will nominate Noemie in the Kayak Cross to the Australian Olympic Committee, with selection to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Originally published as Noemie Fox to follow in family footsteps and join sister Jess at Paris Games