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Noemie Fox shocks with surprise gold medal as sister Jess captured in beautiful scenes at Olympics

Noemie Fox has stepped out of her sister's shadow to grab her own golden moment at the Paris Olympics.

sam goodwin
Sports Editor
·5-min read

Jessica Fox has jumped into the water to celebrate with sister Noemie, who claimed a stunning gold medal for Australia in the kayak cross on Monday night at the Olympics. Noemie Fox stepped out of the shadow of her triple Olympic champion sister Jess to complete a clean sweep of the women's canoe events for their family.

The 27-year-old Noemie collected Australia's 13th gold medal of the Paris Games on Sunday night, producing a sensational display in the new Olympic whitewater event. Fox won every round before taking out the four-paddler final at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

Jessica Fox, pictured here jumping into the water to celebrate with sister Noemie.
Jessica Fox jumped into the water to celebrate with sister Noemie. Image: Getty

Fox crossed the line ahead of France's Angele Hug, with Great Britain's reigning world champion Kimberley Woods getting the bronze. In beautiful scenes, Jess and the girls' mother jumped into the water to celebrate with Noemie, who couldn't believe what she'd achieved.

Jess won the C1 and K1 gold medals in Paris - bringing her medal tally to six from four Games - before she was eliminated early in the kayak cross. Mother Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi is also an Olympic medallist, winning bronze in the K1 for France at the 1996 Olympics.

"It's crazy that it's mine," Noemie said of her own triumph. "You don't really dare to dream this big, but I really did this time and I dared to dream to get to the Olympics and then to get to that final. When I saw in the last up (gate) that I was first, it was pure joy - there's no words to describe that feeling."

Jessica Fox and sister Noemie at the Olympics.
Jessica Fox was bursting with pride for sister Noemie. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)
Noemie Fox and sister Jessica, pictured here both in tears.
Noemie Fox and sister Jessica were both in tears. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Noemie said of her sister: "I'm her biggest cheerleader, just like she's mine. To watch her win two golds and then to have her as my biggest cheerleader, it's a fairytale ending.

"She's the greatest of all time in our sport ... watching her win, it's just such a privilege and inspiration and it really fuelled me. When someone like that really believes in you and tells you 'you've got it', you've got to go and get it. I got my moment and it's my medal and we're walking away with three gold medals in our family, which is insane."

Jessica said she was overwhelmed with pride to see her sister achieve her dream. "I was so nervous, I just wanted her to do a good race … she nailed it," she said. "I'm just in awe of her … she's an Olympic champion and she has worked so hard for that, I'm so happy for her."

Angele Hug, Noemie Fox and Kimberley Woods, pictured here with their medals after the kayak cross final at the Olympics.
Angele Hug, Noemie Fox and Kimberley Woods with their medals after the kayak cross. (Photo by OLIVIER MORIN/AFP via Getty Images)

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Noemie has long been a world-class paddler, but she's never been able to compete at the Olympics before now because her superstar sister always takes the only Australian selection spot available. The younger Fox sister said there were many times she considered giving the sport away, such was her sister's dominance.

But the addition of the kayak cross in Paris opened up another spot for Noemie to qualify alongside Jessica, who helped her prepare for the selection regatta. Noemie admitted she has found it hard being Jess's sister at times, but it's all been worth it.

“I think there’ll always be that shadow," she said. "That’s something (that) when I was starting out was really hard to deal with. But watching her win, it’s just such a privilege and an inspiration and it really fuelled me.

“It’s crazy to think this one’s mine. I don’t want to say I’ve never dreamt of gold. I think it’s one of the wildest dreams you let yourself dream about. So to fuel you as an athlete. And when you see someone achieve that in our small sport, you think, wow, what a dream that they’re living like one day I hope I can do that too.

"When I came out of this upstream and I saw that I was first, I haven’t heard the crowd. It’s just like a buzz. But I heard my mum do, like a guttural yell, and I thought, okay, just keep tracking. This feeling of crossing the line first, oh my gosh, I just want to relive that forever. It was amazing. And the crowd, it was insane. A bit of disbelief. It was crazy. And then Jess and mum jumping in the water. I thought mum was going to drown at one stage.”

with AAP