Olympics-Canoeing-Noemie Fox steps out of sister's shadow in kayak cross drama
Adds quotes
By Philip O'Connor
PARIS, Aug 4 (Reuters) -When the draw was made for Sunday's kayak cross, there were gasps as Australia's Fox sisters were grouped together in the same race, but few thought that younger sister Noemie and not 2022 world champion Jessica would go through.
Having already won the canoe and kayak slalom golds and ranked first in the world in kayak slalom, Jess had her sights set on a third Paris Games success, but as often happens in this most unpredictable of sports, she was bumped out and ended up in last place to miss Monday's deciding races.
"I just didn't pull out my best race. It was tough off the start. I got really tangled, and I was trying to chase. I turned fourth, and climbed up one spot, and almost pulled off the overtake at the last gate," she said.
"That's kayak cross, and you can have a plan, but nothing goes to plan. I'm gutted, but at the same time, when you see your little sister wins the heat, I was really proud of her."
Noemie's joy at qualifying was bittersweet.
"It was really hard to be lined up straightaway with Jess ... it was a tough heat, and they're all really tough heats. It was going to be a battle - I mean, it's the Olympic Games so it was going to be really difficult," Noemie told reporters.
Jess Fox had said that the two were going to work together to try to ensure that both would progress, but their best-laid plans did not survive first contact with their two competitors in the heat, Spain's Maialen Chourraut and Dutch paddler Martina Wegman.
With the top two going through, it was Chourraut who took second, with Wegman and the older Fox sister's Olympics ending in the late afternoon sunshine.
"I think it was hard, but we knew it was always going to be hard. I think we just didn't want to knock one of us out and that's what happened," Noemie said.
"The goal was to have two Australians through as far as possible, and it would have been great to meet later on and do that final together."
Noemie is one of 32 competitors - 16 women and 16 men - who will take part in Monday's quarter-finals, with the semis and final also taking place the same day, and older sister Jess said she still had one important task at these Games.
"It's not over yet, whatever voice I have left will be spent cheering on my sister and the (Australian) boys."
Reporting by Philip O'Connor
Editing by Toby Davis
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
