There may be sports with more followers than canoeing in Australia, but there can be few bigger stars Down Under than Jessica Fox at the moment following her second gold medal at the Paris Games, achieved in stunning fashion on Wednesday.
Just as she did in Sunday’s kayak final, Fox cannoned bravely through the course to win the canoe single gold, delighting the legion of fans that had travelled to the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium east of Paris to share in her moment of glory.
“It was so special. I would love to be swarmed like that every time I compete. It was amazing to share it with them. There were so many Australians and Aussie supporters,” Fox said following her second triumph. Those supporters cheered her on relentlessly on a muggy afternoon, and once the competition was won, she went to celebrate with them.
“Some of them were family, some were friends, some travelled from Oz, some live in Europe,” she said. “It was incredible to see the support here and celebrate with my family and team as well. I am over the moon.”
Wednesday’s win ensured a successful defence of the title she won at the Tokyo Games, and Fox said her success in Paris was the result of hard work in the intervening years.
“This has been a dream Games - as an athlete, you put in the blood, sweat and tears, and the team invests in you. For it to come down to one day every four years, and then to actually pull it off, is the best feeling in the world,” she said.
“It does not always go your way, and I have experienced that as well. For it to turn out this way, it has been the perfect Games, and it’s so magical to be here in Paris.”
