Jessica Fox, the canoeing champion of Australia, says she will defend her Olympic titles in Los Angeles 2028 despite undergoing surgery to remove an kidney tumour.

After a health scare, Fox was forced to skip the World Canoe Slalom Championships in Penrith, where she had won golds for K1 and C1 at Paris, and watched her sister Noemie win kayak cross gold.

The 31-year old said that the setback will not stop her from adding to her six Olympic medals.

Fox told Australian journalists at the World Championships that "LA is of course still the goal".

"Not being able race at the Worlds means that I can take my sweet time to get back to health, regain my strength and be physically ready again.

The Worlds will be held in July next year, so you have plenty of time to prepare.

France-born Fox, who has won 10 world titles since 2013, is widely considered the greatest canoeist in history.

She promised to put in more time for the pre-season next year.

The canoe slalom championships for next year will be held in Oklahoma City, at the Whitewater Center. This is the Olympic venue.

Fox said, "Next year will be our first experience of the Games course in Oklahoma. I look forward to experiencing it and learning how it feels." Reporting by Ian Ransom, Melbourne; editing by Peter Rutherford

(source: Reuters)