Australian champion Jess Fox has revealed what sister Noemie said after winning her maiden Olympic gold medal during an emotional interview at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
On Tuesday morning AEST, Olympic debutant Noemie won the women’s canoe slalom kayak cross final to complete a gold treble for the Fox family following her sister’s triumphs in the C1 and K1 events.
Jess, who had been screaming encouragement from the sidelines, jumped into the water alongside mother Myriam after Noemie crossed the finish line ahead of Britain’s Kimberley Woods and France’s Angele Hug, completing a a perfect week for the Fox family in Paris.
Speaking to Channel 9 ahead of the medal ceremony, the elder Fox sister battled tears as she commemorated Noemie’s breakout victory.
“It’s just incredible what Noemie did today, to make it through each round with such composure, really good tactics and just going for it,” Jess told Channel 9.
“I’m just so proud of her. I’m drenched because I jumped into the water. There’s so much emotion in this moment. It’s amazing.”
Asked what was said amid the celebrations in the water, Jess recalled: “We were both screaming. She was like, ‘What is going on? What the hell?’
“I was so nervous, I just wanted her to do a good race. I was fingers crossed the whole way for a medal and she nailed it. She was ahead from the first upstream and just held it together.
“I’m just in awe of her. Everyone was talking about, ‘Jess, are you going to win three gold medals?’ No, because Noemie gets one of her own.
“It’s absolutely incredible. She’s Olympic champion and she has worked so hard for that. I’m so happy for her.”
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Jess explained that Noemie’s competitiveness and consistency makes her a constant threat in the kayak cross discipline, which was contested for the first time at the Paris Games this week.
“I think the cross suits her in that if she gets out well, she can stay in front and she can attack,” Jess explained.
“For me, the cross is hit and miss a little bit. I’m not very consistent, in that if there’s a bit of fatigue or if I’m not out ahead, I struggle sometimes to catch up and overtake and have the moves that she does.”
Asked what it means to the family, Fox laughed: “It means that poor dad is the only one without an Olympic medal. The women are killing it.
“What a moment for our family, what a moment for these Games.
“We’re come away with three gold medals, and that’s so special.
“It’s just a fairytale ending for these Olympics.”
Elsewhere, Australians Tim Anderson and Tristan Carter were both eliminated in the men’s kayak cross quarterfinals, with New Zealand’s Finn Butcher winning gold.