Olympic canoe champion Jessica Fox has undergone surgery to remove a tumour from her left kidney and says she will not compete in the remaining Canoe Slalom World Cup events.
The 31-year-old three-time Olympic gold medallist shared news of her condition and her subsequent recovery on social media on Thursday (28 August).
“Last week I had surgery to remove a tumour from my kidney. The surgery went really well and I’m on the mend,” said Fox.
“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.”
Fox was one of Australia’s Opening Ceremony flagbearers at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and went on to win two gold medals to become the first female canoe slalomist to win three Olympic titles and the most decorated of all time.
She expressed optimism around her recovery and hopes to return to her sport soon.
“I’m feeling positive and looking forward to heading home, focusing on recovery, and then building towards being back on the water again,” Fox added.