Australia

‘The hardest thing I’ve ever done’: Jess Fox wins gold in C1 canoe slalom


Jess Fox has won the C1 canoe slalom final at Tokyo 2020, to claim the Olympic gold medal that had previously eluded her.

Fox won bronze at these Games in the K1 class, in an event in which she was highly favoured to take gold.

She was the fastest qualifier for the final and backed up with a time of 105.04 to win the event by more than three seconds.

Unlike in the K1 class, where two touches of the gates cost her four seconds and a gold medal, she completed the course without penalty, or any setbacks at all for that matter.

Great Britain’s Mallory Franklin finished second in a time of 108.68, with Germany’s Andrea Herzog taking bronze in 111.13, both with a penalty of two seconds.

Jessica Fox now has four Olympic medals to her name.(

Getty: Adam Pretty

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This is the first time the C1 class has been included at an Olympics.

Fox now has two bronze medals, one silver and one gold over three Games.

Fox later told Channel Seven she was physically sick before the event.

“I’ve never felt that nervous before a race.”

But she said it was an amazing feeling to be an Olympic champion.

“So much emotion, so much joy, so much builds up to this moment.

“It’s just incredible. I’m grateful to everyone who helped me get to this point, because it’s a really special moment.”

Fox’s father Richard Fox, working in the Channel Seven commentary team, said winning gold was a huge relief after an intense build-up.

“It was hard to steer clear of ‘Jess goes for gold’, it was everywhere. All the time.

“I couldn’t walk past a screen, screens every five minutes in the studio here and it would pop-up with the countdown, 10 minutes to go.

“So, it’s in your face.”

An Australian female kayaker stands with her Olympic gold medal on the podium.
Jess Fox shows off her gold medal following her stunning victory in the final.(

Getty Images: Adam Pretty

)

Richard Fox said Jess had delivered in spades.

“So it’s going to take a while to unpack, but I’m just so, so happy for her. 

“Especially just to deliver that performance at that level in that moment. 

“It’s so hard to do. So hard.”

Jess Fox described winning gold as the hardest thing she’d ever done.

“Everyone who comes to the Olympic Games has pushed themselves, has given it everything, and it’s been a really big five years, a really big last 12 months, and even a big three days,” she said.

“To come back after the kayak was the hardest thing I’ve probably ever done.

“To put down such a good run today, I’m so thrilled.”



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