Noemie Fox in action in the Kayak Cross in Prague. Photos courtesy of Paddle Photography / Paddle Australia.
NOEMIE Fox has delivered a fairy-tale finish at the ICF World Cup 2 in Prague, to earn Australia an Olympic quota spot in the Kayak Cross and all but consolidate her place in the Australian Olympic Team in Paris.
In back-to-back racing on the final day of competition, Noemie was nothing short of impressive, having to compete in five races before booking a spot in the Final, where she staged a stunning come-from-behind performance to take the silver medal.
With only three quota spots on offer in the new Olympic discipline of Kayak Cross, the stakes couldn’t have been higher.
But Noemie, a seasoned professional, held her nerve and executed her game plan perfectly to put her in the frame to qualify for her first Olympic Games, alongside sister Jess Fox OAM.
An emotional Noemie understood the enormity of her achievement, following the race, and was eager to savour the moment.
“It’s been such a long day, I’ve gone through step by step, go through the time trial, go through the first round, the goal was to do the most rounds possible and end up in the Final and end up on the podium.
“It’s been such a long journey and I feel so grateful to have had the most incredible support team here with me, and to be able to celebrate it and join the Australian Olympic team, and join my sister, it’s so incredible and I’m so happy.
“The semi final with the reigning World Champion, past World Champion and European medal;ist was probably the hardest thing. So once I got through that, and I was in the final, I was just wanting to enjoy it and not come last, and that’s what I did.
“Paris has always been a distant dream and one that I wanted to latch onto, whilst staying a little bit rational knowing there were so many steps to get to this day and where we are. I think [Paris] it’s going to feel a bit like a home Olympics, being half French and with such a huge family and fan base in France.
“To be able to line up with Jess as well and the other two Australians Tristan [Carter] and Tim [Anderson] it’s just going to be so incredible and I can’t wait to start thinking about that journey.”
Like her sister Jess, Noemie has been coached by her mum Myriam who competed for France at the Olympics in canoe slalom. Myriam, on the sidelines in her canoe and kayak coaching role, couldn’t hold back her excitement when she realised she would have her two daughters competing for Australia at the Olympics.
“I feel ecstatic. It’s a dream, it’s like an Olympic gold for me to have two girls at the Olympics. It’s a dream come true for Noemie. She’s been working hard and her coach Pierre had a good strategy preparing for today, I’m just so happy,” she said.
