What an absolutely incredible month it’s been! After years of preparation and hard work, the efforts of our paddlers, coaches and support staff paid off in spades at the Paris 2024. In what was the sport’s best ever results at an Olympic Games, our 15 athlete squad brought home three gold, one silver and one bronze medal across Canoe Slalom and Canoe Sprint.
In the first week of the Games, Jess and Noemie Fox delivered Australia the fairytale it was holding its breath for, winning every female gold on offer in the Canoe Slalom competition. Both Tristan Carter and Tim Anderson made finals on their Olympic debut, with Tim only 0.03 seconds from the bronze medal.
Week two saw Australia’s Sprint Kayaking team take up the mantle, with two more medals added to the tally. A photo finish in the Men’s K4 500m Canoe Sprint saw our crew take home the silver medal while Tom Green and Jean van der Westhuyzen won bronze in the Men’s K2 500m after another close race. The Women’s K4 500m finished eighth in the A Final, Ella Beere and Aly Bull were seventh in the K2 500m A Final, and both Tom Green and Alyce Wood made the B Finals in their respective K1 races to finish off the campaign.
On behalf of Paddle Australia and the wider Australian paddling community, I extend my sincerest congratulations to each and every one of our paddlers for their dedication and success. They are and will always be Olympians, held in the highest esteem by our community.
I would especially like to again acknowledge the team behind the team – those coaches, sports support staff and administrators that put in day after day to support our athletes in reaching their goals. I know how much our athletes recognise and appreciate all the work done on their behalf. Never has the saying ‘it takes a village’ been truer! Thank you all.
I also extend a special congratulations to Jess Fox who was voted onto the IOC Athletes Commission, a phenomenal achievement in itself but this after being named as a flag bearer, winning two Gold medals and the emotion of seeing her sister Noemie win Gold. Could it get any better? What an Olympic Games.
And we’re not done yet! Curtis McGrath, Dylan Littlehales and Susan Seipel are currently putting the finishing touches on their Paralympic preparations, set to take to the water at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium in exactly a week’s time. I’m sure I have all of Australia behind me when I wish the best of luck to our three paddlers! Be sure to tune in on 9Now to catch all of the action live!
In other news, nominations for the annual Paddle Australia Awards are now open! The Awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions and achievements of members of the paddling community and provide a platform to honour those who have contributed to paddling in different ways, often over many years. I encourage the paddling community to nominate those outstanding individuals who contribute so much to make our paddling community what it is.
As the weather begins to warm up, remember to stay safe on the water.
Phil Jones
Paddle Australia CEO
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