Evy Leibfarth on winning historic canoe slalom medal and inspiring the next generation

Evy Leibfarth seemed destined to be on the water.

Her mother used to be a paddling instructor, her dad was a slalom racer, and when she got her first kayak at the tender age of four, her career appeared to have already been set in motion.

For as long as she can remember, the sport has been a part of her life.

At Paris 2024, all of her hard work came to fruition when she won the United States’s first medal in canoe slalom in 20 years.

“It feels like a dream,” Leibfarth told Olympics.com exclusively, following her bronze medal performance.

“I can’t believe it’s real - I’m so excited!”

It was perhaps even more special given that the 20-year-old is coached by her father, who oversaw her push for the podium.

“We definitely clash a lot, like any dad and daughter would,” she said with a smile. aughed.

“But for the most part, it’s the most amazing thing in the world.

“I am so lucky to be able to share these moments with one of the closest people to me in the world.”

• Watch: Evy Leibfarth – Canoe Slalom – Women’s final highlights

Evy Leibfarth: I hope my bronze inspires others

Despite not being long out of her teens, Leibfarth is hopeful that her short career, which now includes an Olympic medal, can inspire others.

In particular, she wants her success to encourage more women to take up the sport.

“I hope it inspires more women to try [canoe slalom] out,” she told us.

“I think a lot of people think that kayaking is kind of scary – it’s definitely one of the more adventurous sports.

“I hope that I can show people that it’s okay to be scared, but you can still go for it.”

More importantly, she wants to encourage people to come into the sport and ‘make it their own’.

“I think kayakers come in every single type of personality and shape and size.

“Just don’t be worried about trying to fit into a box – make it your own.”

As for what comes next for Leibfarth, she is excited to continue pursuing her Olympic dream ahead of LA 2028, which would be a home Games for her.

Before that, the slalom World Championships head stateside in 2026, where she hopes to keep inspiring others on the world stage to try “one of the best sports” out there.