Finally a golden girl! Aussie kayak star Jess Fox wins GOLD in the canoe slalom – after silver and bronze medals at the London and Rio Olympic Games
Australia’s Jess Fox is back on the podium at the Tokyo Olympics, this time on top as a gold medalist to complete her medal collection.
The three-time Olympian from western Sydney qualified fastest for the Olympic women’s C1 final on Thursday, two days after claiming bronze in the K1 event as the raging hot favourite.
Fox, 27, previously won silver as a teenager at the 2012 Olympics in London and bronze at the 2016 Olympics in Rio in the K1 event.
The C1 event is making its Olympic debut in Tokyo.
Fox’s parents are both Olympians.
Jessica Fox cries in relief after winning gold in the C1 women’s final at the Tokyo Olympics
Her father, Richard, competed for Great Britain in the K1 at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, finishing fourth and was a five-time world champion.
Fox’s mother, Myriam, competed for France at the 1992 Barcelona and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, winning bronze in Atlanta in the K1 as a mum. She was a two-time world champion.
Jess’ sister Noemie, also a top slalom canoiest was proud of her sister, regardless of the result.
‘She is 10 time world champion and gold is the only medal that is missing,’ Noemie told Channel Seven shortly before the C1 final.
‘It is the only medal that is missing in the family. Dad, the poor thing, he didn’t get one, even though he was world champion too.’
‘It is such a brutal sport, as we saw in the K1 final.’
‘She is the last to go and she is the GOAT of our sport, anything can happen.’
Earlier on Thursday, Fox pushed through the tough whitewater course at the Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre in an error free semi-final run completed in 110.59 seconds.
Czech paddler Tereza Fiserova was second fastest, followed by Brazilian Ana Satila and reigning world champion German Andrea Herzog.
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