Chase of Fox starting early
THE Tokyo Olympics are nearly three years away but Jessica Fox is already keenly aware of the target on her back.
It seems the natural progression that Australia’s world champion paddler will add an Olympic gold medal to her K1 London 2012 silver and Rio 2016 bronze. Even more so given the C1 class - traditionally her favoured event - will be added to the program for the first time in Japan.
But there’s a unique form of pressure that comes with being a gold-medal favourite so far in advance.
“I sort of felt it in the leadup to Rio,” Fox said.
“As soon as you’ve won a medal in something - and I won silver in London - people were like, ‘well obviously she can win gold’. It’s not always how it works.
“But I’ve been world No.1 in the C1 for four years so it is my expectation as well. It’s my dream and my goal.
“And then there is that outside expectation and pressure as well ... but it’s part of sport, learning to deal with that and embrace it rather than hide from it.”
Fox’s near-frightening consistency isn’t exactly lightening the burden of expectation.
Two months ago the 23year-old regained the world title in the K1 category in France, along with silver in the C1 team event, and bronze in the K1 team event.
Add to that World Cup medals over the past year. It was enough for Fox to be named NSW athlete of the year in Sydney on Monday.