Noemie Fox can feel Australia's expectations for her to win on the world stage and believes she's finally ready to embrace the pressure.
All eyes will be on Fox to snare a title in front of home fans when the slalom world championships kick off on Monday at Penrith Whitewater Stadium.
Reigning Olympic kayak cross champion Fox takes over as the headline attraction in the absence of sister Jess.
The older Fox, a three-time Olympic gold medallist and 14-time world championship gold medallist, is still recovering after undergoing an unexpected surgery to remove a tumour on her kidney.
Fox, 28, admits she once thought she wasn't good enough to deliver on the world stage.
But it's a doubt she's since shaken after claiming the first kayak cross gold at the Paris Games last year.
Fox will tackle all three disciplines - kayak, canoe, and kayak cross - in Penrith against 300 international athletes.
"Winning the Olympic Games, it's changed my whole perception on what is possible," Fox told AAP.
"It's easy to be discouraged, especially in our sport, which can be really inconsistent, and it's hard to feel that your improvement is showing.
"It (the Paris gold) did make me think - as cliché as it sounds - that anything is really possible, because I didn't think I was that talented."
Fox will be joined by Kate Eckhardt in the women's categories, with Georgie O'Callaghan one of four Australian debutants.
Lucien Delfour leads the local charge in the men's kayak and kayak cross alongside Tim Anderson, while Ben Ross makes his debut in the men's canoe.
Fox readily admitted her sister's absence was a massive blow to Australia's hope of reaching the podium.
"With Jess, we know that we would have at least won a few gold medals, and now she's not here," the 28-year-old told AAP.
"It will be hard. There is that feeling of, will the crowd get their money's worth? Will they enjoy it?
"But sport is sport, and you never know what can happen."
The world championships, which will run until October 4, returns to Australia for the first time in 20 years.
"Some people never get (a world championship) in our sport, and it's come at a time where I feel really competitive," Fox said.
"I have confidence after Paris, and I feel really grateful for the timing and the opportunity.
"I remember being on the bank (in Penrith) in 2005 and cheering the Aussies.
"There was Tony Estanguet, who was Olympic champion at the time - those were athletes that I looked up to.
"It's exciting to take a minute to be like, 'Oh wow, now I'm in their position where I'm the one putting on the show'."
Great Britain's Kimberley Woods shapes as a formidable opponent, entering the world championships in fine form after claiming the kayak and canoe titles in the World Cup series.
German paddler and Tokyo Games gold medallist Ricarda Funk took out the women's World Cup kayak cross title.
