Western North Carolina native Evy Leibfarth paddled her way to the podium on Wednesday, winning a bronze medal in the women’s canoe slalom at the Paris Olympic Games. The whitewater phenom from Bryson City is making her second Olympic appearance, competing in both the kayak and canoe slalom as well as the debut sport of kayak cross.
The 20-year-old narrowly missed making the finals in kayak singles over the weekend. Her shot at a second medal starts Friday with the kayak cross time trials. The Olympic debut sport, dubbed extreme kayak, involves four paddlers who are dropped into the water and maneuver through an obstacle course. Leibfarth described it as “a little scary, but exciting to watch” in an Instagram post explaining her three sports. Update: Leibfarth made it to the quarterfinals in kayak cross, just missing qualifying for the semifinals.
Leibfarth, who grew up paddling the waters of the Nantahala River, is the first U.S. woman to qualify for and compete in three Olympic whitewater events. She made her Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2020.
Stay tuned for updates to catch her in action!
