WNC Paddler Evy Leibfarth Eyes Olympic Gold After World Silver

A whitewater paddler from western North Carolina just made history, and she's not slowing down.

Evy Leibfarth, 22, took silver at the ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in Oklahoma City last month, finishing just 1.31 seconds behind three-time Olympic champion Jessica Fox. The Bryson City native became the first American woman since 2003 to earn a world championship medal in kayak slalom.

It's the latest milestone for an athlete who's been making waves since childhood. Leibfarth won bronze in canoe slalom at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and now she's setting her sights even higher for the 2028 games in Los Angeles.

"It's definitely going to be a hard goal to achieve, but I'm excited to spend a lot more time building my skills, getting stronger, faster, and just getting better," Leibfarth said.

Her journey started before she can even remember. She received her first kayak at age four, a hot pink one with a sparkly paddle, from her parents who both worked as raft guides in the Nantahala River region.

"People are like, 'When did you start kayaking?' I'm like, 'I never started. I just always have,'" she laughed. By age eight, she had mastered the combat roll and was competing in slalom races.

Leibfarth grew up surrounded by Olympic-level talent. The Nantahala paddling community has sent more than 20 athletes to the Olympics, creating an environment where world-class achievement felt possible rather than impossible.

"I just grew up surrounded by these incredibly motivated, well-rounded athletes who taught me that you had to work hard to be an athlete but it's absolutely doable," she said. "I guess I never questioned that I could do it."

Why This Inspires

Leibfarth's story shows how community shapes champions. Growing up in a place where Olympic dreams were normalized gave her both the belief and the support system to pursue excellence. Her father coaches her year-round from the shore, and when she returns home from training in Charlotte, they paddle together on the water.

Those homecomings also include stops at La Dolce Vita Bakery for her favorite bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich with her mom. It's a reminder that even world-class athletes stay grounded in the simple joys of home.

With two years until the Los Angeles Olympics, Leibfarth is proof that small-town roots and big dreams make a powerful combination.