Paris 2024 Olympics - Slalom Canoe - Men's Kayak Cross Quarterfinal - Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium - Whitewater, Vaires-sur-Marne, France - August 05, 2024. Titouan Castryck of France reacts. REUTERS/Molly Darlington
PARIS (Reuters) - Australia's Noemie Fox followed in her sister's footsteps to pick up the Olympic gold medal in women's kayak cross on Monday, with Finn Butcher of New Zealand winning the men's event.
Fox's sister Jessica secured the first two golds in canoe and kayak slalom on the whitewater course, and her younger sibling made it a family affair when she came out on top in a thrilling decider.
Angele Hug took silver for France and British world number one Kimberley Woods took bronze, the first Olympic medals to be handed out in the discipline as it made its debut at the Paris Games.
"I think I’m in shock, I was just so happy to make it through the semi-final, that was my goal, now just go and enjoy it. Its insane, it’s so much fun. Today just went to perfection, I enjoyed every second," Fox told reporters.
In the men's race, top-ranked Briton Joe Clarke had to be content with silver after getting caught up in traffic early on, allowing Kiwi Butcher to move ahead, where he stayed until he crossed the finish line.
"It's crazy. I don't believe it yet. Once I got out in front and turned in front, I was like, 'no way'. Those guys are so good. I'm proud to be the champion. The first one – that's pretty sick," an elated Butcher said.
Germany's Noah Hegge came third to take the bronze in what was a very successful debut for cross racing, where racers drop into the water together and paddle frenetically through a series of downstream and upstream gates as fast as they can.
Hug's silver aside, it was a disappointing day for the French with Camille Prigent eliminated at the quarter-final stage before teenager Titouan Castryck was sensationally knocked out, despite finishing first in his race.
With the first two in each race going through to the semis, the 19-year-old kayak slalom silver medallist cruised over the line in first place but was bumped down to third after judges decided he failed to pass the third of 10 gates on the course correctly.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Alison Williams and Ed Osmond)
