Behind Evy Leibfarth, Team USA kayak slalom team hopes to inspire new generation

Jul 21, 2026 - 23:45

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Ria Sribar remembers watching the 2014 Canoe Slalom World Championships in Deep Creek, Maryland.

The California native was 11 at the time, and seeing a world championship on home soil inspired her to dedicate herself to the sport. But it wasn't an easy way up. Two weeks later, Sribar competed at nationals at Maryland's Dickerson Whitewater Course and finished second-to-last.

"Without the home worlds, I don't think I would have done this sport," Sribar said. "I just hope some kid sees us and is like 'Yeah, I wanna do that."

Sribar has known her now kayak slalom teammates, Marcella Altman and Evy Leibfarth, since those early days. She recalls competing with Leibfarth, now a two-time Olympian, in her first race.

"Evy was significantly younger than me and kicking my butt back then," she laughed.

Leibfarth became the youngest paddler in U.S. Olympic history when she competed in two modalities at the age of 17 in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where she finished 12th in the K-1 and 18th in the C-1. She returned to the Olympic waters in Paris, winning the bronze medal — the U.S.'s first in canoe slalom since Athens 2004, just a few months after Leibfarth was born.

Now, alongside Sribar and her training partner Marcella Altman, Leibfarth is competing in the 2026 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships, in Oklahoma City, 14 years after the last worlds on American soil. The Oklahoma City Whitewater Center will also host the sport in the 2028 Olympics.

"I think it's terrifying (to compete in the Olympic course) honestly," Leibfarth said. "To think that there could be so many spectators and that much pressure, it's terrifying but it's also so exciting. I mean, the potential for people to see the sport and get inspired by it. This is the first year that the rules for the Olympics is as such that all of us could potentially make it, so we're all hoping to get there as a team."

The new Olympic qualifying framework states that a total of 38 quota spots will be offered through the ranking system, with dedicated lists for each of the six Olympic events, the International Canoe Federation said.

While they didn't do as well as expected in the kayak slalom event, finishing ninth, Leibfarth and Altman are competing in all three teams events in the tournament: kayak, canoe and kayak cross. The duo, which has known each other since they were 8, competes with 17-year-old Carden Oetting in women's canoe, and Altman's younger sister, Isabella, in kayak cross.

Marcella and Isabella grew up paddling together, inspired by their parents. They were each other's first training partners

"To have her as a sister but also as a teammate competing here is a full circle moment as well," Marcella said. "I know it's a dream of both of ours, and also competing in a home race is very special as well."

But when asked whether she is more competitive when paddling against her sister or her other teammates, Marcella had to go for the politically correct response.

"Everyone is a competitor when it comes to racing," she laughed after saying the question put her in a tough spot. "But you know, training partner, sister, everyone's someone to learn from and to have fun on the water with."

Isa Almeida is a trending reporter for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Isa? She can be reached at ialmeida@oklahoman.com or on X/Twitter at @ialmeidasports. Support Isa's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Behind Evy Leibfarth, Team USA kayak slalom team hopes to inspire new generation