Sisters Noemie and Jess Fox capped off a memorable year on Monday night when they were named winners of The Don Award for 2024 at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Awards in Melbourne.
Jessica backed up her gold in Tokyo by winning the women’s kayak and canoe slalom events while Noemie won in the inaugural kayak cross event, beating her sister to claim first place in Paris.
“We didn’t realise, we couldn’t imagine, how much of an impact Paris would have on those watching at home,” Jess said.
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“Obviously for us, it was a dream come true, the culmination of a lifetime of work – and for our family as well, it was an incredible moment.
“And I think a lot of people resonated with the emotion, and the energy that they could feel through the screen, I guess, whether it was me achieving that kayak gold or backing it up in the C1, or then Noemie doing what felt like the impossible to just qualify and then actually winning, and then seeing the emotion of those who loved her.
“When I think of The Don award, that’s what speaks to me, I think, is the way we made people feel during the Olympics, and not just us.”
It’s the fifth time in six years a female has won the award, with the achievement named after former Australian cricket captain Don Bradman.
Australian basketball great Lauren Jackson was named winner of The Dawn Award, after she came out of retirement to win her fifth Olympic medal, helping the Opals win bronze in Paris.