'Speechless' Fox claims gold to finally end Olympic pain as brutal ...

Australian paddler Jessica Fox has secured her second Olympic gold medal in dramatic scenes on Monday morning AEST, ending a 12-year drought to win the canoe slalom K-1 final at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.

The 30-year-old, Australia’s flag-bearer during last week’s Opening Ceremony in Paris, recorded a time of 92.18s to win her first gold in the kayak discipline, having previously claimed a silver and two bronze medals.

It was Australia’s fourth gold medal of the Paris Olympics, with Fox hoping to add to the nation’s medal tally in the upcoming C-1 event, which she enters as the reigning champion and red-hot favourite.

Three years ago at the Tokyo Games, Fox was left shattered after a missing out on a gold medal in the K-1 final due to a four-second penalty, walking away with bronze.

But the four-time Olympian has well and truly vanquished her demons in the French capital, cementing her status as one of the sport’s modern greats.

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Australia’s Jess Fox. Pic: Michael KleinSource: News Corp AustraliaGold Medalist Jessica Fox of Team Australia. Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

“I’m speechless,” an emotional Fox said after the triumph.

“I was really struggling to hold it together at the end.

“I was so proud to be able to put together a really good run when it mattered.

“My team has really helped me put it together and I am very grateful for everything they have done for me.”

Fox was the fifth paddler to push off in the K-1 final following her hesitant run in the semi-finals, where she placed eighth after copping a two-second penalty at Gate 19.

The Australian faced a nervous wait after completing the course, watching from the sidelines as seven rivals attempted to better her time, including defending champion Ricarda Funk from Germany.

Funk, the world No. 2, was seemingly on track to challenge Fox’s time before copping a brutal 50-second penalty for an error at Gate 20. The crowd gasped after Funk’s mistake, as did Fox, who embraced her ecstatic sister upon realising she was an Olympic champion once again.

Ricarda Funk's mistake at Gate 20.Source: Channel 9The moment Australia’s Jess Fox won gold. Pic: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia

“I’ve been crying for the last thirty minutes,” Fox told Channel 9.

“I was crying of stress and nerves sitting there.”

Fox’s mother and coach Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, who won bronze representing France in canoe slalom at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic, laughed: “That wait was bloody long.”

The stands were empty three years ago when Fox stood on the podium at the Tokyo Games due to Covid-19 restrictions, but an adoring crowd witnessed her crowning moment in the French capital.

Fox, who was born in Marseilles, will next compete in the women’s C-1 heats on Tuesday at 11pm AEST.

Elsewhere, fellow Australian paddler Tristan Carter also qualified for the men’s C-1 semi-finals with a time of 94.19, the ninth fastest of the heats.