Australian athlete Jess Fox has shared an emotional update with her fans after having a tumour removed.
The three-time Olympic gold medallist, 31, revealed in August that she had a tumour taken out of her left kidney.
Now, Jess has confirmed she has been forced to withdraw from the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Penrith for the first time in 15 years.
In an emotional Instagram post, Jess said she won’t recover from her surgery in time for the tournament.
She admitted she is “devastated” over missing the competition but said she had to prioritise her “health and recovery”.
“For the first time in 15 years, I won’t be on the start line at the world championships,” she wrote in a lengthy caption.
“Unfortunately, I just won’t be ready in time. I need to put my health and recovery first after surgery.”
“I’m absolutely devastated to be missing this one – a world championships on my home course where I first watched my heroes at the Sydney Olympics, saw the first Aussie world title by Rob Bell in 2005, the course where I’ve grown up and learnt to paddle, trained every day to be the best. A home world is a once-in-a-career opportunity, and I was so excited and looking forward to it.”
“Life has a way of throwing curveballs when we least expect them, but I’ve learned that while we can’t always control what happens, we can always choose our attitude and perspective.”
“I’m grateful for the resilience that sport has given me. Timing is everything. This time, the timing just wasn’t on my side.. but you can be sure I’ll be doing my best to be back on the water and come back fit, strong, and healthy when the time is right.”
She went on to thank her team and sponsors for their understanding and support and cheered on her teammates.
“Special shout out to the girls Kate [Eckhardt] and Noemie [Fox] – We are the reigning world champions in teams, and I’m heartbroken to not be able to defend this one with yo,u but can’t wait to see you shine on the water,” she added.
“I may not be racing, but you can bet I’ll be the best cheerleader I can be.”
Her emotional update comes a month after Jess first revealed she had undergone surgery to have a tumour removed.
The athlete took to Instagram on August 28th with a carousel of photos of herself recovering in the hospital.
In the accompanying caption, she revealed that thankfully the surgery went “really well” and that she was on the mend.
“It’s been a whirlwind over the last few weeks, but I’m all good – just a couple of gnarly new scats, a bit less kidney, and a whole lot more toughness,” she captioned the post.
“I’m feeling positive, super grateful, and happy to be home. Looking forward to taking it easy over the next few weeks as I recover, and building towards being back on the water again.”
She went on to thank her medical team, friends, and family for all the love and support they had shown her in recent weeks.
It’s unclear how long Jess was experiencing symptoms, or when she first became aware of her tumour.
Shortly after Jess made her post, proud sister (and fellow Olympic athlete) Naomie shared a tribute of her own on her Instagram stories.
“She’s always been the most mentally strong person I know, and even more so the last three weeks. Even in the shittiest moments in life, Jess is somehow calm, so positive, focusing on what she can control and how to get better.”
Jess made Australia proud at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games as a flag-bearer for the Opening Ceremony alongside Eddie Ockenden.
Over the course of her Olympic career, she has won three gold medals, one silver, and two bronze – two of which were from Paris.
She is also currently the reigning Olympic champion for both the women’s C1 (canoe) and women’s K1 (kayak) events.
