CANOE/KAYAK: Jessica Fox has created history winning gold in the K1W and C1W events at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Deep Creek, USA.
The 20-year-old Penrith paddler started the day in blistering form recording the fastest semifinal run before holding nerves of steel to write herself into the record books with an emphatic victory in the K1W final.
The victory came 24 hours after successfully defending her C1W world title.
An excited Fox thrust her paddle in the air and screamed in joy when she saw her final time.
"It was a big build up this season, I made all the finals of the World Cups but never managed to put it together in a final," Fox said.
"To win is unbelievable. I knew if I went out there and had the speed I had this morning and fixed up a few of my mistakes I could challenge the lead and maybe even win a medal.
“It is very special. To win the double in both events, to have such a great World Championships it could not have been any better this weekend,” Fox said.
British paddler Fiona Pennie produced the time to beat early in the final. Just 0.01 seconds separated the pair at the first split before Fox executed the perfect run through the middle and lower sections of the course to win in 114.01.
Fox finished 0.96 seconds ahead of Pennie, with German Melanie Pfeifer taking home the bronze in 120.01.
Asked how it compares to winning Olympic silver Fox responded, “I guess the Olympic silver was a dream come true a bit and I didn’t expect it in a way but this is something that I have really been working for the past couple of seasons, and to have it come together and put together such a good run in a pretty big final is really special.”
The historic double comes 25 years since her mother Myriam and father Richard won K1 gold in the USA.
“To do it 25 years after my parents both won at the World Championships in the USA on Savage River is really special and I think we will all be cherishing this moment,” Fox said.
Earlier in the day Australian pair Sarah Grant and Rosalyn Lawrence finished 17th and 21st respectively in the semifinals.
Links:
Full session replay here - http://canoeicf.com/icf/NewsGallery/News/WATCH-Saturday-s-Finals-LIVE0.html
Results - http://www.canoeliveresults.com/event/2014/deep-creek-maryland-world-championships.php
C1 Gold Medal Report - http://corporate.olympics.com.au/news/fox-wins-back-to-back-c1w-gold
Australian Canoeing