Fox Wins Gold in K1

Jessica Fox, who has been a NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder for 15 years, has proven why she is the greatest paddler of all time, winning the gold medal in the women’s K1 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Using the momentum of an incredible week, in which she carried the flag for Australia at the Opening Ceremony of the Games, Fox blitzed the field to become the Olympic Champion and the only Australian to win an individual medal in the same event at four consecutive Olympic Games

“It was truly an incredible day. I am so thrilled so proud, so grateful right now,” Fox said told Channel 9.

“I wanted to take the positive energy from the last week – it was taxing – but to be on the barge with one of the other athletes (at the Opening Ceremony) was so great. I knew I had to be aggressive and set the bar high for the other girls in the final.

“To do it in Paris. It has been the best day.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Australian Olympic Team (@ausolympicteam)

With gold in the women’s K1, Fox has become the only Australian to win an individual medal in the same event at four consecutive Olympic Games, having won silver in London, bronze in Rio, bronze in Tokyo and now gold in Paris.

“It’s been the longest build up since Rio. You want to be present and focused. You want your best run down – so to do that finally is very special to me and my family.

“I didn’t love the course but I had to focus on doing it piece by piece, day by day.”

Fox was the fifth paddler to push off in the K-1 final following a hesitant run in the semi-finals, where she placed eighth after incurring a two-second penalty at the 19th gate.

The Australian faced a nervous wait after completing the course, watching from the sidelines as seven rivals attempted to better her time, including defending champion Ricarda Funk from Germany, who topped the times in the semi-finals.

Funk, the world No. 2, was on track to challenge Fox’s time at the halfway mark but received a brutal 50-second penalty after missing a gate towards the end of her run. The crowd gasped at Funk’s error, as did Fox, who quickly realized she was an Olympic champion once again.

“It was a really long wait, but I just had to sit there and watch.”

Fox, who trains at the Penrith Whitewater Stadium, used the momentum from the crowd, her team and support she knew she had coming from Australia, to seal the victory.

“It was so emotional, there were so many Aussies in the crowd and all the positive energy really helped.”

Frances Cordaro NSWIS