Shocking moment Noemie Fox’s dad is cut off by his fellow Channel Nine commentator when he makes a VERY emotional request as she celebrates her Olympic gold
Noemie Fox’s father Richard suffered a shocking moment on his Channel Nine commentary on Tuesday morning when he reported on his daughter’s stunning gold medal win at the Paris Olympics.
The Fox family had achieved a remarkable feat in Paris by winning all the gold medals. Noemie, like her sister Jessica, was an Olympic champion by winning the kayak cross.
At 27, Noemie dominated the new Olympic whitewater event, winning every round. On Monday, she claimed victory in the four-paddler final at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.
It was a moment to celebrate and Noemie and Jessica’s father Richard Fox, along with fellow Channel 9 commentator David Culbert, provided some colour to the broadcast when the unthinkable happened.
Noemie Fox celebrates her victory as she crosses the finish line and becomes the third Olympic medalist in her family, after her mother and sister
A beaming Noemie finally gets to celebrate her achievement with her parents Myriam and Richard, after her father received a blunt rejection from his Channel Nine colleague
Richard was clearly emotional and politely asked if he could leave the commentary table to share the moment with his daughter.
But the answer he received was as blunt as it was shocking.
Fox: ‘Channel Nine, may I have my…’
Culbert: ‘No, wait a minute, because we really need to know your reaction.’
Fox: ‘Oh my god! Yeah, yeah, yeah.’
“What a race, undefeated in the heats,” Culpert continued.
“She did absolutely fine,” Richard said.
“Things you were worried about…” he continued before stopping talking. It was clear he wanted to be with his family.
‘When things are tense and you’re under pressure, mistakes happen.
“Ah, they’re in the water,” he said as he watched his entire family dive into the water to celebrate without him.
‘How beautiful is that!’
However, Culpert was not willing to let him go yet.
“Gold medals in different events at the Olympics from the same family. That’s a very, very short list, unless they’re in a team sport and they play together,” he said.
“Jess jump in, Miriam jump in, you go down and jump in, get out there, we’ll hear from you, we’ll hear your reaction.”
Oddly enough, Channel Nine reported that Culbert did not deprive Richard of the chance to be with his family.
Wide World of Sports reported that it was a request fellow caller Dave Culbert had no problem with.
Richard handled the setback with grace, but it was a shocking moment when a father was unable to congratulate his daughter at the height of the emotional victory.
Noemie couldn’t believe she had achieved her own Olympic dream after watching her sister Jessica pave the way for her
Oddly enough, Channel Nine reported that Culbert did not deprive Richard of the chance to be with his family.
Wide World of Sports reported that Fox said: “Oh my goodness, oh my goodness,” before asking if he could leave the commentary box to join in the celebration, “a request fellow caller Dave Culbert had no problem with.”
“Go down and jump in,” he said.
‘Go there, we will hear your reaction, and we will hear it when you go there.
“But you deserve to go there.”
“It’s unbelievable that I won this medal,” Noemie said of the gold medal.
‘You don’t dare to dream that big, but this time I did it and I dared to dream of participating in the Olympic Games and then the final.
‘When I saw at the last gate that I was the first, it was pure joy. There are no words to describe that feeling.’
Fox was joined in the water by 30-year-old Jessica, who jumped in to celebrate after cheering her brother on all the way down.
Noemie has long been a world-class caravan, but she has never competed at the Olympics before. Her sister, a superstar, took the only available Australian selection spot.
Jessica Fox jumps into the water after the event to celebrate the moment with her sister
Her younger sister said she often thought about giving up the sport, so dominant was her sister.
But the addition of the splash and dash event in Paris opened up an extra spot for Noemie to qualify, along with Jessica, who helped her prepare for the selection regatta.
“I’m her biggest supporter, just like she is mine,” Noemie said.
‘To see her win gold twice and then have her as my biggest supporter, that’s a fairytale ending.
“She is the best of all time in our sport. It is such a privilege and inspiration to see her win. It really gives me energy.”
“If someone really believes in you and tells you, ‘You can do it,’ then you have to go for it and make it happen.”
“I’ve had my moment and it’s my medal. We’re going to walk away with three gold medals in our family, that’s crazy.”
Fox celebrates winning the memorable gold medal in Paris with her supporters
Jessica said she was proud that her sister had achieved her dream.
“I was so nervous, I just wanted her to have a good race… and she did a great job,” she said.
“I’m just in awe of her… she’s an Olympic champion and she’s worked so hard for it, I’m so happy for her.”
If the Fox family were a nation, they would be ranked 16th in the medal standings at the Paris Olympics.