Noemie Fox: The Incredible Dream

It’s been a long time coming, trying to achieve ‘the incredible dream’ and join her mother, father and sister as an Olympian, but for this determined yet modest high performance paddler, the dream is almost a reality.

Multiple world championship medallist, Noemie Fox, is set to join her history making sister and reigning women’s C1 Olympic champion Jessica Fox, at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, after a fairytale finish at the ICF World Cup in Prague, in which she earned Australia an Olympic quota spot in the Kayak Cross and all but secured her place in the Australian Olympic Team.

“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. 

“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 Fox

While Fox had the choice of representing France, the UK, or Australia at international level she explains in her final episode of the NSWIS Lights Up athlete documentary series, the emotion that drove her decision to compete in the green and gold of the country she migrated to as a little girl. And 24 years after cheering on France at the Sydney Olympics, Fox provides an insight into what it would mean to put everything on the line for Australia at the Paris Games in front of her family and friends.

“Paris 2024 is such a special Olympics for me. When we came here, we moved from France and I was cheering for France at the Sydney 2000 Olympics and Paris will be the opposite,” Fox said.

“I will be in the Australian uniform and it will feel like a home games in a sense. I am super super excited to be in that atmosphere with all the other Australian supporters and athletes.

Noemie Fox

Like her sister Jess, Noemie has been coached by her mum Myriam who competed for France at the Olympics in canoe slalom. Myriam, who was on the sidelines in her canoe and kayak coaching role at the world cup in Prague, 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.

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For Noemie, wearing the green and gold at a Games and joining an esteemed group of athletes, adding OLY to the end of her name, would provide a great reward for her career.

“That would be the best thing ever for my career. It’s the type of thing you dream about. It would be incredibly special. In Australia it is really hard to have that validation and sense of professionalism unless you have made the Olympics.”

Noemie Fox

Paddle Australia are in the process of nominating Noemie in the Kayak Cross to the Australian Olympic Committee, with selection to be confirmed in the coming weeks. 

NSWIS