Fox The Best in History

Australia’s Jessica Fox won her second gold medal at the Paris Games, defending her Olympic title in the Canoe-Slalom C1, and in the process has become the most successful individual medallist in Australian Olympic history.

In her trademark cool and calm manner, Jess carved through the tricky white-water course at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium to clock a time of 101.06 seconds, 2 minutes and 58 seconds ahead of her nearest rival, silver medalist Germany’s Elena Lilik.

Lilik threw down the gauntlet midway through the event, her 103.54 run bringing the race to life. Jess was the second-last paddler and responded to the German in style. Despite a two-second penalty on the course, she took over the gold medal position. 

In scenes that reminded her of her K1 victory earlier this week, she had a nervous wait for fastest qualifier Gabriela Satkova to finish, but the 30-year-old Aussie’s time was enough for gold.

Jess paid tribute to her family and support team, in particular her mother and coach, Myriam.

“So much can happen when you dream, when you believe, and when you work hard,” Jess said.

“So many have been part of the journey to get me here and I’m very grateful to them. 

“Obviously Mum, my coach since the start has been a big one, and I’m sure I inherited some great genes from Mum and Dad to help me get to this point.”

In front of a vociferous Vaires-sur-Marne crowd, Jess maintained her now-famous steely focus, putting her victory down to mindset.

“I was nervous about certain moves, but visualisation is so powerful to be able to see yourself do it before you get out there, so that’s what I was doing in the break before the final,” Jess said.

“When it actually goes to plan, it’s pretty special.”

Not only did Jess become Australia’s most successful individual Olympic medallist, with six, she is also the most decorated athlete in the history of Olympic Canoe-Slalom.

“I’ve never thought about those records,” she said.

“They’ve never felt attainable or even something I could possibly dream about. Each Olympic experience I’ve had has been very different. 

“This is just magical, but to be named amongst some of Australia’s greatest champions in Olympic history – I can’t quite believe it.”

The sixth individual medal for Jess surpasses Ian Thorpe, Leisel Jones, Shirley Strickland, Shane Gould, Anna Meares and Ariarne Titmus, all with five apiece.

Jess adds the C-1 gold to her K1 earlier this week in Paris, gold in the C-1 in Tokyo

silver in the K-1 in London, and two K-1 bronze from Rio and Tokyo.

Her Paris campaign continues where she’ll be joined by sister Noemie in the Women’s Kayak Cross Time Trial qualifying on Saturday 3 August at 12.40am AEST.

Article courtesy of AOC