Jessica Fox shows why she is the ultimate team player after winning two golds at the Olympic Games

Jessica Fox proved she is the ultimate team player despite being crowned Australia’s individual queen at the Paris Olympics.

Fox, who was Australia’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony, established herself as Australia’s greatest paddler of all time after winning gold in the K1 and C1 slalom races this week, making her her country’s most decorated Olympic competitor in the individual events.

But she showed again why she is so beloved by her teammates after she was spotted cheering on Tim Anderson during the men’s K1 final on Thursday.

Anderson, however, was unable to match the all-conquering Fox, finishing seventh with a time of 90.90 seconds.

He had won the silver medal after his race, but as he was the third paddler to start, he had to wait nervously for the rest of the competition to make their attempt.

Anderson finished fifth in last year’s world championship and had hoped for a podium finish in Paris, but to no avail.

Fox did not rule out competing in the Olympics for the fifth time after her victory on Wednesday, despite her age.

“I still feel good, I still love the sport and I still feel like I enjoy it,” Fox said after her second victory in Paris.

‘In 2025 the World Championships will be held at home in Penrith, so I expect the same crowd as today to be there.

“I’m definitely not retiring today.”

Fox has one more event to go in Paris: the kayak cross has been added to the 2024 Olympic program. Her younger sister Noemie is also participating.

The event will last four days and will start with the time trial on Friday 2 August. The medal ceremony will take place on Monday 5 August.

Her victory made her, along with swimming legend Shane Gould, the only Australians to win three individual gold medals at a single Olympic Games in 1972.

Dolphins star Kaylee McKeown could also join the club of the gold triple championships. She is chasing three individual titles in Paris: the 100-200m backstroke double and the 200m medley.

Despite her great form, Fox said gold is not guaranteed in kayak cross, which involves four competitors competing at a time. The fastest advances to the next round, while the rest are eliminated.

Participants can make contact with their kayak or paddle to push it off the line as they attempt to maneuver through the gates and perform an Eskimo roll (360 degrees).

“You never know in kayak cross,” said Fox, a two-time world champion in the discipline.

“You just have to try to get through each round and then we’ll see how it goes. It’s hard to plan and have expectations.

‘For me it’s all about feeling good that day. I’m going all out, but there are so many strong girls, it’s a very strong field of participants.’

More to follow.