Australian paddler Noemie Fox hopes the introduction of a new event at Paris 2024 will finally lead to her securing an Olympic Games berth — a mission that for many years proved impossible because of her champion sister.
Jess Fox has had a mortgage on the women’s kayak and canoe single events at recent Olympic Games, consistently sweeping up the only spots available to Australia. But in Paris in August, Australia could have up to two women contesting kayak cross.
Speaking to 2GB’s Wide World of Sports Radio a couple of days after collecting a bronze medal in kayak cross at the Canoe Slalom Oceania Championships in Penrith, Noemie joked about the harsh reality she had long faced when asked about her world-beating sister.
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“She’s a constant inspiration, but also a constant block to that one Olympic spot,” Noemie said with a laugh.
“But no, she’s definitely incredible, and I feel really lucky to be able to train with her on a daily basis and to be able to compare myself to the greatest of all time and that top athlete and feel myself closing the gap.
“Obviously we’ve grown up and we’ve shared so much together, and I followed her at London [2012], Rio [2016] and Tokyo [2020]. Now she’s obviously rooting for me and helping me in so many different ways to turn me into not just a supporter, but a teammate, as well.”
Jess has earned Paris 2024 selection for the kayak and canoe individual events. That means the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist is eligible to start in the kayak cross.
At the Kayak Cross Global Qualification Competition in Prague in June, which Noemie will contest, Australia will be striving to attain a quota place in the kayak cross. If a quota place is obtained, it could be handed to Noemie.
While athletes race the clock in the kayak and canoe single events, they race together in kayak cross, aggressively battling to get ahead and stay ahead while trying to avoid disqualification.
The kayak cross boats are also more heavy-duty than those used for kayak and canoe single competition, which Noemie touched on in her interview with 2GB.
“I’m definitely doing a lot more gym because we’re paddling boats that are now 10 kilos heavier in the kayak cross compared to the slalom, so it’s a bit of a Hulk season going on at the moment,” Noemie said.
“Doing a lot more water time, as well. It’s obviously a different technical sport and we have to get used to the ramp [and] heavier gates, so [there’s] lots of training involved. At the moment there aren’t many rest days, but [we’re] on the water most days and trying to hit the gym two to three times a week, but that’s not enough according to my strength-and-conditioning coach.”
Noemie, who’s three years younger than her 29-year-old sister, said she’d been cranking out more chin-ups and weights and recovering accordingly with nutrition.
“It’s kind of cool to see that [the gains from kayak cross training] transfer in our slalom, and to be feeling much stronger overall,” Noemie said.
The Olympic kayak cross events, also known as extreme kayak, will take place in Seine-et-Marne, just east of Paris, between August 3 and 5.
