NC native Evy Leibfarth wins bronze medal in women's canoe slalom final

PARIS, France — North Carolina native Evy Leibfarth won a bronze medal Wednesday in the women's canoe slalom finals with a final result of 109.95 seconds. 

Leibfarth took on Olympic rapids during the Slalom women's canoe single heats on Tuesday. Her first heat score was 108.82, finishing ninth, her second heat score was 107.09, ultimately ranking her 11th. In the semifinals earlier Wednesday, she qualified for the finals with a final result of 117.58.

She'll compete next in the women's kayak cross qualification - time trial on Friday, Aug. 2 at 10:40 a.m. on Peacock.

RELATED: NC athlete making history in women's kayak and canoe at Olympics

Leibfarth first got into a boat in the Nantahala River near her hometown of Bryson City. Now she's taking on rapids in Paris.

She felt the rush at an early age since her parents, Jean Fogler and Lee Leibfarth, were avid kayakers. Leibfarth’s dad even serves as her coach.

Leibfarth competed on Saturday, July 27 in the first Women's Kayak Heats event at the 2024 Olympics, where she took 8th place out of 22 in the first run with a time of 97.24. Her second run time was 93.84.

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Overall, Leibfarth took 4th place in the kayak heats, landing her a spot in the semifinals on Sunday. 

Her semifinals score of 109.54 did not qualify her for the K-1 finals. She came in 15th place after a tough course and was only a few seconds away from qualifying.

But, as the first U.S. woman to qualify for an Olympic Games in three different kayak and canoe events, she will have more opportunities to go for gold. 

Still just 20, she’s now a two-time Olympian. In the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Leibfarth placed 12th in the women’s solo kayaking event and 18th in canoeing. In the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, she won 1st in both events.

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