Paris 2024 Olympics - Slalom Canoe - Women's Canoe Single Heats 1st Run - Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium - Whitewater, Vaires-sur-Marne, France - July 30, 2024. Jessica Fox of Australia in action. REUTERS/Yara Nardi
PARIS (Reuters) - Australia's Jessica Fox was almost as relentless as the burning afternoon sun at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium on Tuesday as she began her bid for a second Olympic medal at the Paris Games by comfortably qualifying for the canoe single semi-final.
The 30-year-old stormed to victory in Sunday's single kayak final and on Tuesday she was at it again, easing to a second-place finish in the heat to see herself safely through to Wednesday's semi-final, with the final taking place later the same day.
"It was about feeling good in the heats course, in the canoe, getting that feel back after the kayak. I got on the water yesterday to just blow out the cobwebs and flush out the arms a little bit," Cox told reporters.
"So, yeah, I felt good out there today - second place was all I needed to do, and it felt good. Job done."
Fox quickly recalibrated from the two-bladed paddle used in Sunday's kayak final to Tuesday's single canoeing oar and still retained her speed, precision and power as she navigated the course.
"I think it is an advantage having done it (the course) already in the kayak, but it's also different strategies and C1 (canoeing) is different strokes and race plan as well," Fox explained.
"So, while I have had a look at it, how to feel for it in the kayak, I've got to make sure I'm on it tomorrow."
The calm, smooth way she descended the course on the first of her two runs in a time of 100.05 seconds, just over half a second behind Gabriela Satkova, of the Czech Republic, sent a message to the rest of her competitors that she is not done chasing medals just yet.
"I'm trying to really stay in the moment, stay focused - job one today was heats, tomorrow will be make the final, top 12, and then hopefully just be free in that final and go for it as much as I can and be proud of myself at the end," she said.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Toby Davis)
