This is the Fox family’s world and we just live in it.
On Tuesday morning (AEST), Noemie Fox joined big sister Jess as an Olympic gold medallist after storming home to win the inaugural women’s kayak cross final at Paris 2024.
Her moment came after Jess won back-to-back gold medals in the women’s C1 and K1 canoe slalom events earlier in the program — becoming the most successful Olympic paddler, male or female, in the process.
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Remarkably, with their clean sweep in Paris, the Fox sisters are positioned in 17th place on the medal tally after ten days of competition.
The sisters each boast their own piece of Olympic history in the sport, with Noemie’s come-from-behind victory clinching the first-ever gold medal in the newly-introduced whitewater canoeing discipline.
Three years earlier, Jess did the same when she became the first-ever Olympic champion in the women’s C1 after the event was introduced for female competitors following years of advocating for equality.
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However, the Fox family’s history, with its French connections, lies in the K1.
Making her Olympic debut at London 2012 as a fresh-faced 18-year-old, Jess picked up the silver medal in the event.
Four years later at Rio 2016, she won bronze.
Hoping to complete her collection with gold at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games, Fox again had to settle for bronze after she picked up two time penalties in the final.
Jessica Fox reacts after her run in the women’s kayak slalom final at Tokyo 2020. Getty
Following the completion of her run, Fox was devastated after her hair, which was fixed into a long braid, swung into a gate — the accompanying two-second penalty putting gold and silver out of reach.
Wondering if she would ever get to the top of the podium, Jess thought of her mum, Myriam, who despite winning two world championship titles, could not achieve gold success when she competed in the K1 for France at two Olympic Games.
Myriam finished 21st in the event at Barcelona 1992 before clinching the bronze medal at Atlanta 1996. Years later, she came on board to coach both her girls.
As well as being an experienced coach and commentator in his own right, dad Richard also won five individual K1 world championships and finished fourth in the K1 when he competed for Great Britain — also at Barcelona 1992.
So, some 32 years after the family’s first attempt, Jess finally struck gold.
“I tried to get the gold in 1996 so it was a very, very long wait but I’m so happy and proud that finally Jess got this medal,” Myriam told Nine after Jess’ triumph in the K1 in Paris.
“That one was missing.”
Now up there with some of the nation’s most famous sporting families, the Fox’s are building an incredible dynasty with high performance, mentorship and commentary at it centre.
However, in a family full of Olympic medallists, it is known where Richard stands.
“It means that poor dad is the only one without an Olympic medal,” Jess said with a grin after Noemie won gold.
“What a moment for our family. What a moment for these games.”
