Chloe Kim Misses Out on a Third Straight Gold at the Winter Olympics
MILAN — Chloe Kim fell short in her quest to become the first athlete to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in snowboarding, finishing second in the halfpipe competition at Livigno Snow Park. The gold went to South Korea’s Gaon Choi, who navigated a challenging day to secure victory.
Choi, after suffering a severe crash on her first run when she clipped the lip of the halfpipe, rebounded spectacularly. Despite appearing shaky on her second attempt, the 17-year-old delivered a nearly flawless run, earning a score of 90.25 points. This impressive performance nudged her ahead of Kim, who had initially scored 88 points in her first run.
As the last competitor to drop in, Kim aimed to reclaim the lead. She signaled her determination to her coaching team with two thumbs up before beginning her final run. However, she fell on a cab double cork 1080—a trick she had successfully landed in both previous runs.
Following the competition, Choi celebrated her victory by raising her arms in triumph, while her coach rushed to embrace her. Kim, after finishing her run, made her way through the crowd to congratulate Choi, who was jubilantly celebrating with Kim’s family.
The two snowboarders share a significant history. Kim has played a mentorship role for Choi at the Mammoth Mountain Snowboarding Club, and Choi has referred to Kim as one of her idols, particularly since Kim’s rise to fame at the 2018 Olympics.
At just 17, Kim became the youngest woman to secure an Olympic gold medal in snowboarding during the PyeongChang Games, subsequently winning another gold in Beijing, where she made history by becoming the first female athlete to achieve two Olympic titles in the halfpipe.
This season marked a challenging start for the 25-year-old Kim, who suffered a torn labrum in her right shoulder earlier in January while training in Switzerland. This injury, which came just weeks after she had to withdraw from a World Cup event due to another shoulder injury, meant that the Olympics were her first competition of the year.
