Jessica Fox lifts the lid on brutal move from Olympic judges that had Aussie hero agonising
The Aussie golden girl was nervous as drama erupted in the women's single canoe.
Jessica Fox continues to win over the nation's hearts having won her second gold at the Paris Olympics, but the medal nearly didn't come to fruition after a scary moment for Australia's golden girl. Fox has defended her C1 gold medal from the Tokyo Olympics having stormed to the finish line to make Olympics history.
Fox is now the most decorate slalom athlete in Olympics history after she stood at the top of the podium for the second time in Paris after winning the K1 event. And Fox admitted there were real fears she might cop a whopping penalty at the Games after a shock moment left the Aussie holding her breath.
Fox was the second last competitor and stopped the clock at 99.06 in first place. But an asterisk had been placed next to her name as the commentators noted the judges were looking at whether the Aussie had copped a penalty for missing or hitting a gate.
Touching a gate incurs a two second penalty, but missing a gate results in a 50-second penalty. Fox knew she would survive with a two-second penalty. But if it was deemed she had missed a gate, the Aussie would have been without a medal in Paris.
Commentator David Culbert was also holding his breath as he delivered the play-by-play. "Any time you want, judges, you can remove that asterisk, please," Culbert said as Aussies waited to see if Fox was able to claim gold. "Millions of Australians in the middle of the night pleading for the all-clear."
Fox's dad, Richard Fox, was in the commentary booth and couldn't believe the drama. "We've got an inquiry going on," Richard said. "It's a forensic team that's out there looking for something. I don't like that (the asterisk)."
After three-long minutes the judges found Fox had clipped a gate and her time was knocked down to 101.06. She still remained in the gold position. The final rider, Gabriela Satkova, didn't manage to eclipse Fox's time and the Aussie finished with her second gold of the Olympic games.
Jess Fox admits nerves over agonising Olympics call
While her father was left holding his breath in commentary, Fox also admitted she was nervous when there was a three-minute pause after her race. But after she found out her time, Fox said she felt calm knowing there was only one other competitor left.
"There was a little bit of doubt … I knew it was an amazing time having the four-second margin, I knew if they were looking at the two-second penalty I was well within the time to still stay in the lead," she told Channel Nine after the race. "I clipped a gate with my helmet, I think gate 19 or 18, so it took a while to come up – I think the judges were looking at all the video angles so it was a bit of a nervous wait.
"I felt confident it wasn't going to be too dramatic – compared to the kayak where I had to wait for seven other girls to come down, there I just had to wait for one more. It was an amazing eruption of emotion after that."
Jess Fox seeking more Olympics history in Paris
After celebrating her gold in Paris, Fox said she has cherished each medal and is thrilled to have created a long-lasting legacy at the Olympics. "They've (records) never felt attainable or even something that I could possibly dream about," Fox after after becoming the most prolific Olympic medal winner in her sport.
"Each Olympic experience that I've had has been very different - some have been brilliant, some have been a bit disappointing and this is just magical. But to be named amongst some of Australia's greatest champions in Olympic history is just - I can't quite believe it."
The 30-year-old is now chasing more history and can claim a golden treble in Paris in the canoe cross - a new event in Paris. Gold in the canoe cross would seen her join Gould (1972) as the only Australians to have won three individual gold medals at one Olympic Games.
