Jessica Fox will head into Paris 2024 fresh off the back of yet another history-making performance at a canoe slalom world cup event.
At the latest event in Krakow, Poland, Fox won gold in the K1, C1, and kayak cross disciplines across the three-day meet. She’s the first paddler to win gold in all three events at the same meeting.
Fox, 29, now boasts an incredible 51 golds at canoe slalom world cup meets – seven of them coming in the past six weeks.
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Speaking on Nine’s Today on Tuesday morning, Jess said she was – perhaps unsurprisingly – feeling the effects of the gruelling weekend.
“It’s been a pretty amazing weekend … it’s been a great block of world cup racing,” she said.
“I’m definitely feeling tired today.”
Already the greatest female canoe slalom athlete in history, Fox will head to Paris hot favourite to go back-to-back in the C1 category, and will also be aiming to win her first Olympic gold in K1, and to win the maiden gold medal in kayak cross.
Her sister, Noemie, meanwhile will almost certainly join her in Paris for her first Olympics having secured Australia a quota spot in the kayak cross by clinching silver at a world cup meet in Prague earlier this month.
The quota spot means she doesn’t automatically qualify herself, only an Australian boat. Paddle Australia has nominated her to the AOC, with her spot expected to be ratified in the next week.
It was the second quota spot Noemie had secured for the Paris Games, but awkward Olympic qualifying rules meant the first spot was given to Jess.
While individual canoe and kayak slalom events are a race against the clock, kayak cross pits athletes directly against each other in races.
Jess explained kayak cross is where “all the argy-bargy happens”.
Assuming the AOC ratify Noemie’s quota spot, the two sisters will compete directly against each other in a heat race at the very least.
Having watched Jess from the banks in London, Rio, and Tokyo, Noemie said getting her own Olympics chance is “an absolute dream come true”.
“My selection event (in Prague) … was definitely up there with the hardest events that I’ve ever done,” she told Today.
“It was such a gruelling and taxing day – racing from 9-5pm, until finally securing that spot for Australia.”
The entire Fox family was in Prague to watch Noemie secure the quota.
“We felt all the emotions seeing Noemie fulfil that dream in Prague,” Jess said.
“The whole family was there supporting, cheering – I lost my voice, I’ve never been that nervous.
“To be able to do this together is extremely special because we’ve been training together, racing together for almost 10 years now.
“She’s worked so incredibly hard and I’m so proud of her. I’m looking forward to getting to Paris and battling it out in training, and then racing together and sharing that experience.”
Having all but secured her spot in Paris, Noemie said she would be leaning on Jess’ Olympic experiences to settle her own nerves and prepare as best she can.
“It’s incredible now to have a mentor like Jess who knows how to handle the pressure, who can help me make the most of my first Olympics,” she said.
“I cannot wait.”