American slalom canoeist Evy Leibfarth was born on January 26, 2004, and she has been competing internationally since 2019. She placed 12th (K1 – Women) and 18th (C1 – Women) in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after winning Bronze in the CSLX – Women competition in 2021. She is also eligible for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Evy Leibfarth qualifies for the Paris Olympics 2024
Evy Leibfarth, aged 20 from North Carolina, has qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024 in her first event at the U.S. Olympic Canoe Trials. She secured a spot in the canoe slalom event at the trials held at Montgomery Whitewater Park in Alabama.
Additionally, she hopes to earn places in two more events, which would make her the first American woman in her sport to take part in three events at one Olympic Games. She finished in 12th and 18th positions, respectively, in kayak and canoe slalom in Tokyo as the only teenager in either event.
“I’m really excited about going out there and seeing what I can do rather than putting a bunch of pressure on myself. At the end of the day, it’s just an amazing, really cool race,” the Red Bull athlete says of Paris.
Evy Leibfarth’s father and Mother were also Elite Athletes
Evy Leibfarth was born on January 26, 2004, in Sylva, North Carolina, U.S.A., and grew up in Bryson City, Town in North Carolina. She is born to Lee Leibfarth and Jean Folger. She stands at a height of 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) and weighs 110 lb (50 kg).
Evy attended High School at the K12 International Academy (online) in ‘21 and College at Davidson College in ’25. Her club is the Nantahala Racing Club and is coached by Lee Leibfarth and Rafal Smolen.
Whitewater has always been part of Evy Leibfarth’s life. Her mother is a former paddling instructor and her father – now her coach – was a slalom racer. Even before she got her own kayak at the age of four, she was riding rivers on her dad’s lap. “I’d always tell him, ‘Faster! Faster!’” Evy says.
Under the umbrella term of Canoe Slalom, Evy most often races on whitewater in solo kayaks (K1) and solo canoes (C1). She began to compete internationally at age 12, spending three years on the junior circuit. The experience proved invaluable as she watched and learned from the top women in Europe, the powerhouse of the sport.
Evy Leibfarth was born on January 26, 2004, in Sylva, North Carolina, United States. She grew up in Bryson City, a town in North Carolina. Her parents are Lee Leibfarth and Jean Folger. Evy stands at a height of 5 feet 4 inches (163 centimeters) and weighs 110 pounds (50 kilograms). She completed her high school education through the K12 International Academy (online) in 2021 and is currently following her college studies at Davidson College, expected to graduate in 2025.
Evy Leibfarth got her own kayak at the Age of Four
Even before she got her own kayak at the age of four, Evy would ride rivers on her father’s lap, constantly urging him, “Faster! Faster!” Under the term Canoe Slalom, Evy most often competes on whitewater in solo kayaks (K1) and solo canoes (C1). She began competing internationally at the age of 12, spending three years on the junior circuit. This experience was invaluable as she observed and learned from the top women in Europe, the powerhouse of the sport.
In 2016, Leibfarth won her first US National Championship in the C1 category and secured 6th position at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the K1W event. The following year, in 2017, she became the U.S. National Champion in WC1 and Vice-Champion in WK1.
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In 2018, Leibfarth claimed 3rd position at the 2018 Australian Open in the WC1 (Under 18) category and also became the 2018 U.S. National Champion in WK1 and Vice-Champion in WC1.
In 2019, Leibfarth won the gold medal in the women’s K1 event and the silver medal in the women’s Kayak cross event at the Pan American Games held in Lima, Peru. In the same year, she competed at the 2019 World Junior and U23 Canoe Slalom Championships in Kraków, Poland, where she won the gold medal in the junior Kayak cross event and the bronze medal in the junior K1 event.
Evy Leibfarth Professionally representing the US
In 2020, Leibfarth represented the United States at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She is bisexual and was among the many LGBTQ athletes competing at the games. Leibfarth took part in both women’s events and finished 12th in the K1 event and 18th in the C1 event, after being eliminated in the semifinals on both occasions.
In 2021, Leibfarth won a Bronze Medal in the Kayak cross event at the 2021 World Championships in Bratislava. The 2021 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships took place from 22 to 26 September 2021 in Bratislava, Slovakia, under the supervision of the International Canoe Federation (ICF). It was the 41st edition of the event. The competitions were held at the Čunovo Water Sports Centre, which was reconstructed before the championships.
In 2022, when Leibfarth was 17 years old, she competed in her first Olympics at the Tokyo Games. She finished 12th in the women’s kayak slalom and 18th in the canoe slalom at the Tokyo Olympics, narrowly missing a spot in the final. Prior to the Olympics, she had already made a name for herself as a three-time world champion and two-time Pan American Games gold medalist.
In 2023, Leibfarth won first place in the K1 finals at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, showcasing her exceptional skills and agility. Leibfarth also participated in the U23 World Championships, where she claimed victory in the kayak slalom and secured a bronze medal in the canoe slalom, demonstrating her prowess as the youngest athlete in the top 10 in each event.
