Three-time Olympic champion and slalom canoeist on gaining self-confidence

TThree-time Australian canoe slalom Olympic champion Jessica Fox is at her best on the water but can now add catwalk modeling to her repertoire of achievements. The 30-year-old has joined L’Oréal Paris as its new ambassador, kicking off a collaboration with France for the iconic Walk Your Worth Runway show in Sydney last month.

You come from a family of sports champions: your mother, Miriam, was a French slalom canoeist who competed internationally, including at the Olympics in the 80s and 90s, and your father Richard did the same for UK. Considering you followed in their footsteps, did you push yourself harder to match their success?

I certainly felt the pressure. If I wasn’t successful or didn’t meet their standards, how would I be perceived? People wondered if I had the Fox gene or not. Will I be the best match for their competitors? When I went to the Junior World Championships as a teenager, I quickly saw that I had talent. Winning the World Junior Championship at the age of 16 was beyond my parents’ ability. I have it on them! So yes, I definitely felt the pressure of what they achieved early in my career, but it lessened as time went on. I create my own story. I used their experience as a guide and their love of the sport as fuel.

What is your relationship like with your sister Noemi, who is also an Australian gold medal-winning canoeist?

Noemi is three years younger than me. It didn’t work out as teenagers, but now we’re very close. It’s great to have a best friend, my sister. Family has always been important to us. She was my training partner and teammate for many years. We’ve shared some amazing trips abroad and experienced the ups and downs of competitive sports.

We were the 2023 World Team Champions with Kate Eckhardt and getting on the podium together as sisters was a highlight. When Noemi qualified for the Olympic Games in Paris, it was very gratifying. She inspires me in many ways. She knows what she wants and will say what she thinks! Although sometimes I have problems with this; I am a people pleaser and want to keep the peace. She challenges the system and speaks her mind. I can learn from her, that’s for sure. And it works both ways: I help her push her to exercise when she is unmotivated and obsessing over something negative. I will be the one who tells her: “Let go, you can handle it.”

How does that sisterly love influence what you do when you compete?

I don’t like competing with Noemi in kayak cross country. When we train, we do well. I love being sparring partners and working together on the water, but when we compete against each other in cross country – which is going against each other from the start line, which is very different from slalom, which is one competitor at a time – it’s harder. I can’t treat her like just another competitor. I don’t want to be the one who stops her from achieving her dreams or her best race. It’s hard for me to be at the start and pretend that she’s just another participant. I don’t want us to fight at the finish line. I tell her, “If we ever find ourselves in the water in a situation where you need to attack me, you do it, don’t ever do it.” I can’t take my own advice!

You moved from France to Australia with your family when you were four. How does it feel to be away from your maternal grandmother, whom you admire so much?

My maternal grandmother Julie is 89 years old and I still consider her a strong role model. She really wanted us to get a good education and be financially independent, which was all the more important to her because she was a single mother and a hard worker.

Whenever we return to Marseille to spend time with her, we have the opportunity to socialize and do anything other than talk about rowing. I spent a week with her after the Olympics in Paris. She cooks amazing food and we drink tea and coffee in the kitchen and have great life conversations.

Moving to Australia when I was four was difficult for her because we were her only grandchildren. We shouldn’t have been gone for so long, but it’s been over 20 years. Growing up in Penrith – right next to the Whitewater Sports Complex, built for the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and where our mother coached in the afternoons – meant that Noemi and I were surrounded by water and eventually ended up in it yourself. We returned to Marseille and studied there when my mother was away for a long time at competitions, but the system was completely different, and we missed Australia. In France they start at 8am and end at 5pm. In Australia from 9:00 to 15:00 – and you have the whole day to do sports and other activities. This lifestyle appealed to all of us, and it was for this reason that we stayed.

What feels French about you?

I love French humor, French films and their culture. When I was growing up, my mother watched a lot of French films, and this kept me connected to the language. We didn’t grow up around the French community in Sydney as they predominantly live on the beach and we lived in the western suburbs. And for me, French food will always beat Australian food. But the cafe culture and our love for coffee is something I really miss when I’m in Europe.

Have you always been proud to be French?

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I remember my mother picking me and my sister up from school as children and speaking French. We asked her to speak English to us when we were in public. We avoided it a bit as kids, but now I’m so grateful that I can speak French. I am proud to be bilingual and it has served me professionally and personally.

You are the new ambassador for L’Oréal Paris. What does this mean to you?

When I was growing up, I saw L’Oréal Paris ads on TV in French and heard them say, “I’m worth it.” As a child, competing in competitions, I dreamed of brands that I would like to work with. L’Oréal Paris was a no-brainer due to my French heritage and my long curly hair! I also loved the idea that I could break the barrier between athletes of a certain shape and size – that we could also be feminine and feel vulnerable and strong at the same time. I love the feeling of empowerment I get from participating in the Because You’re Worth Campaign.

What are some important ways to make women feel “worth it”?

Giving women a seat at the table and giving them a sense of belonging in the workplace and in sport is a good start. The key point is that our voice matters. Sometimes we suffer from impostor syndrome and fade into the background. Women tend to question themselves more. We need to trust the value we bring and our experience because it’s worth voicing what we believe.

How have you built confidence in your body?

As an athlete, I was self-conscious about my broad shoulders and calluses on my hands because, according to mainstream media, that’s not what beauty is supposed to be. I’ve learned to look at my broad shoulders as my strength and the reason I can be the greatest athlete I can be – it’s very powerful and worth celebrating.

We saw you reading a sports story on Today show this year. Are you focusing on a media career now?

I studied journalism for one semester at the University of Sydney, but switched to psychology and social sciences and am now pursuing an MBA. Media is what I enjoyed working in and Today The opportunity to show the show came at the last minute, but I couldn’t refuse. I thought, “Wow, this scares me, but I’ll say yes.” Breakfast on TV is broadcast live, so this element is like a competition because you can’t just stop and do it again. You have to be focused and turned on, just like in a competition. I wish I could do more.

How to disconnect from sports?

Go out into nature and see the sunrise. I either go to the beach for an early swim or, when I’m in the lower parts of the Blue Mountains, go for a sunrise walk with friends. It fills my cup, gives me so much energy and helps me switch off. Some friends just had babies, so seeing them immersed in the baby world is a great way to switch off for me.

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What do you enjoy when you’re not training or competing?

I like to paint with watercolors. It’s not about doing it well, it’s about having a great release. I find that every time I use my hands, it’s like I switch off mentally. I took pottery classes at a friend’s studio, and I also love to cook. Anything that is tactile and keeps me in the present moment is good for my brain.

Family is a big part of your life. Would you like to have your own one day?

I would like to have a child someday, and I would like to have a family for myself. Now is not the time. I just got out of a long term relationship and am rediscovering this part of my life. It’s not right now, but it’s definitely on the cards. I just turned 30 and the athlete in me has been in the spotlight for so long. Now, after Paris, I like to explore my potential in media work, so I’m leaning towards that for now.

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