SYDNEY: Three-time Olympic gold medallist Jess Fox on Thursday revealed she needed surgery to remove a tumour from her kidney and has pulled out of the remaining Canoe Slalom World Cup events in Europe.

The 31-year-old, Austr­alia’s flag-bearer at the opening ceremony of last year’s Paris Olympics, said the operation was successful and she was in good spirits.

“It’s been a whirlwind over the last few weeks, but I’m all good — just a couple of gnarly new scars, a bit less kidney and a whole lot more toughness!” she said on Instagram.

France-born Fox is the reigning Olympic champion in the women’s C1 (canoe) and women’s K1 (kayak), among six medals she has won across four Games.

A member of the IOC Athletes’ Commission, she has also claimed 10 gold at world championships, ma­k­ing her the greatest individual paddler in the history of the sport.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2025