Australian paddler Jessica Fox clinched her second Olympic gold medal in a dramatic finale early Monday morning AEST, ending a 12-year wait by winning the canoe slalom K-1 final at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
The 30-year-old, who proudly carried Australia’s flag at last week’s Opening Ceremony in Paris, clocked 92.18 seconds to secure her first gold in the kayak discipline, having previously won a silver and two bronze medals.
Fox's victory marks Australia’s fourth gold medal of the Paris Olympics. She will aim to add to the nation’s tally in the upcoming C-1 event, where she is both the reigning champion and a strong favorite.
At the Tokyo Games three years ago, Fox was devastated after missing out on gold in the K-1 final due to a four-second penalty, settling for bronze. But in Paris, she has firmly put those past disappointments behind her, solidifying her place among the sport’s elite.
"I’m speechless," Fox said tearfully after her win. "I was really struggling to hold it together at the end. I’m so proud to have put together a strong run when it mattered most. My team has been incredible, and I’m so grateful for their support."
Fox was the fifth paddler to start in the K-1 final. Despite a shaky semi-final performance where she placed eighth and received a two-second penalty at Gate 19, she delivered a solid final run. She watched nervously from the sidelines as her rivals attempted to beat her time, including defending champion Ricarda Funk from Germany.
Funk, the world No. 2, looked set to challenge Fox’s time but was hit with a devastating 50-second penalty for an error at Gate 20, much to the gasps of the crowd and Fox's relief. The Australian embraced her thrilled sister upon realizing she was once again an Olympic champion.
"I’ve been crying for the last thirty minutes," Fox told Channel 9. "I was crying from stress and nerves."
Fox’s mother and coach, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, who won bronze for France in canoe slalom at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, humorously noted, “That wait was bloody long.”
In contrast to the empty stands at Tokyo due to Covid-19 restrictions, Fox’s crowning moment in Paris was celebrated by an adoring crowd. Born in Marseilles, Fox will next compete in the women’s C-1 heats on Tuesday at 11 p.m. AEST.
Additionally, fellow Australian paddler Tristan Carter advanced to the men’s C-1 semi-finals with a time of 94.19 seconds, the ninth-fastest of the heats.