Noemie Fox becomes fourth person in her family to become an Olympian after joining sister Jess with Paris selection

noemie fox becomes fourth person in her family to become an olympian after joining sister jess with paris selection

Noemie Fox grabbed one of three Olympic spots available at the global qualification event in Prague in June. (Supplied)

Noemie Fox has spent her life surrounded by the sport of canoe slalom, world champions and Olympic medallists.

But it is only now, at the age of 27, that she will finally be able to realise her own Olympic dream.

"I do think that it's happened at such an incredible time for me and my career," Fox said.

"I'm just a lot more mature and able to handle how big the Olympics is, and to be a lot more competitive now."

Fox's parents, Myriam and Richard, are both Olympic canoeists (Myriam is also her coach) and sister Jessica is the most successful paddler of all time, with eight individual world titles and four Olympic medals.

Jessica Fox snapped up Australia's only available quota spots in the events on offer in London, Rio and Tokyo, but for Paris, a new event was added to the program — kayak cross, and with it came an opening for the younger sister.

"In Tokyo, it was hard seeing other people that I was more competitive than have an easy qualification and me having the greatest of all time blocking in those two categories," Noemie Fox said.

"I think what has been the most frustrating part has been never being able to have a shot at an Olympic qualification.

"But this time around for the Paris cycle, there was that shot. So no matter how slim it was, we really did everything we could to go and get that."

Fox locked up her position on the team at the global qualification event in Prague last month.

There were only three spots available for athletes from all around the world who had not already qualified.

Fox made it through five cutthroat races, and claimed silver in the final, and now she has officially been selected on the team.

She said she never considered switching allegiances, to her mother's native France or father's native Great Britain, to make her path to qualification easier.

"I wouldn't ever change countries, and you have a lot of people in our sport that actually do that, to have an opportunity to get to the Games," she said.

"But for me, I think the Olympic Games is more than that, it's more than just a start line.

"It's looking back on the journey you had, and I think Australia does that really well, we celebrate the journey that every athlete has been on.

"And the Australian system has invested so much in me since my first Junior Worlds, and that was in 2013, and even the talent ID before that.

"So it's only natural and fitting that I would compete for Australia."

Fox said her older sister, who is also her training partner, had been her biggest supporter throughout the process.

And while the sisters will aim to strategise and work together, should they come head to head in the early rounds of the kayak cross, the younger Fox will have her game face on.

"I'm an individual competitor for Australia in this race that I've been waiting for my whole life, and I don't think I'll be letting anyone go in front of me easily, or overtake me easily, even if that's my sister," she said.

"But the ideal case is we don't see each other until the finals or we both go through every single round."

After a life imagining what it would be like to go to the Olympics, Fox now has to re-focus, and said she is not just going to have fun.

"I never wanted to fully dream about me at the start line at the Olympics. I knew I had to get to that qualification race first.

"[Now] I'm here I've got to prove that I'm capable."

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