Kayaker Jessica Fox, a Sydney University Sport Elite Athlete Program alumna, boosted her Rio Olympics medal chances with a K1 World Cup silver medal at a regatta in Spain at the weekend.
London Games silver medallist Fox finished 2.12 seconds behind Spain’s Maialen Chourraut, who revelled on her local Seu course.
The regatta was filled with athletes who will be competing at the Rio Olympic Games.
Fox, 22, won silver in the opening World Cup in Italy las week, and will have another hit-out against a world-class field in the final World Cup in Pau, France, next weekend.
“This is my first medal in K1 in Seu, so I am really thrilled to make it onto the podium,” Fox said. “Maialen and all the other Spanish girls have always been very strong here, so to get close to her is great.
“My run was one of my best finals, even though the top was a bit average, the bottom was really hard, I can’t feel my arms.”
Six of the athletes in the 10-boat final will be competing at this year’s Olympics, giving Fox a good feel for how she is progressing.
“Having six Olympic boats in the final shows it is a good field, it’s good to see where we are compared to each other,” she said.
Fox is hoping to secure her second Olympic medal in Rio after her silver medal debuting at the 2012 London Games, where she toppled more experienced rivals in the K1 event.