PARIS – Jewish Australian paddler Jessica Fox clinched her second Olympic gold medal on Sunday, solidifying her status as one of the greatest paddlers in history. At 30 years old, Fox captured gold in the women’s kayak slalom, marking her fifth Olympic medal overall. She previously earned silver in 2012 and bronze in 2016 and 2020.
“This means everything to me right now,” Fox told reporters, reflecting on her long journey to Olympic success. “Years of chasing this dream, persevering, and picking myself back up have finally paid off.”
Fox’s victory echoes the achievements of her mother and coach, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, who won bronze for France in the same event at the 1996 Olympics. Fox herself first won gold in the canoe slalom at the Tokyo Olympics, and her latest win ties her with Slovakia’s Michal Martikan for the most Olympic medals in canoe slalom events.
Her performance also makes her the first woman to secure a medal in the kayak event across four consecutive Olympics. Fox will compete next in the canoe event on Wednesday and the kayak cross on Friday.
The four-time Olympian, who was born in Marseille and moved to Australia at age four, also had the honor of being one of Australia’s flag bearers at the opening ceremony. Fox placed first in the heat on Saturday but faced challenges in the semifinals, including two penalties and a temporary eighth-place standing. Despite a rocky start, she delivered a stunning performance in the final with a time of 96.08 seconds, finishing 1.45 seconds ahead of the silver medalist.
“It was just the perfect day for me,” Fox said. “It didn’t start well, but it ended on a magical note.”
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