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Jess Fox flies through course to win C1 gold

A stunned Jessica Fox celebrates winning the women's Canoe final on Thursday.

A stunned Jessica Fox celebrates winning the women's Canoe final on Thursday. Photo: AFP/Getty

Australian slalom star Jessica Fox has won the first C1 Olympic gold medal on offer, storming to victory in Toyko on Thursday.

Fox won bronze in the kayak event on Tuesday after starting favourite but clinched her first Olympic gold medal, and fourth overall with her C1 run.

With the C1 added to the Olympic program for the first time, Fox charged through the whitewater course in 105.04 seconds.

https://twitter.com/7olympics/status/1420649199746502656

Britain’s Mallory Franklin was second, more than three seconds behind, and Germany’s reigning world champion Andrea Herzog took the bronze.

Fox was the fastest qualifier for the final.

It was Fox’s first Olympic gold medal, and fourth overall.

With the C1 added to the Olympic program for the first time, Fox charged through the whitewater course in 105.04 seconds.

Franklin was second, 3.64 seconds behind, and Herzog took the bronze.

In the K1 final, a touch on the second last gate proved disastrous, with the two-second time penalty relegating Fox from the gold medal position.

But this time a determined Fox went through error free, splashing the water with delight after seeing her winning time.

Fox was a strong advocate for having the women’s canoe race added to the Olympic program in place of the men’s C2, providing gender parity in the sport.

The Australian has long spoken of her ambition to make history as the first Olympic champion in the event.

K1 Olympic champion Ricarda Funk of Germany and silver medallist Maialen Chourraut from Spain didn’t compete in the C1 event, in which paddlers kneel and use one blade on their paddle rather than two as in the seated kayak.

Only eight paddlers did the C1-K1 double, with Fox one of just two to make the final.

-with AAP

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