North Carolina native Evy Leibfarth just won a bronze medal in women’s canoe slalom at the Paris Olympic Games on yesterday. This marks her second Olympic appearance, competing in both kayak and canoe slalom, and the debut sport of kayak cross.
20-year-old Leibfarth, from Bryson City, is the first U.S. woman to compete in three Olympic whitewater events, grew up paddling the Nantahala River. She debuted in the Tokyo Games in 2020. Her bronze medal is the fourth for an American woman in Olympic canoeing and the first in 20 years.
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The moment she heard she won her first Olympic medal was priceless:
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Australia’s Jessica Fox won gold with a time of 101.06, and Germany’s Elena Lilik took silver with 103.54. Leibfarth secured her place in the final with a time of 117.58, finishing 12th and earning the last spot. She finished 18th in canoe slalom at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
Leibfarth will compete in her final event, kayak cross, starting with the time trial on Friday, becoming the first American woman to compete in three canoe events at one Olympic Games.
