LIVIGNO, Italy – Gaon Choi, 17, of South Korea, upset Chloe Kim in the women’s snowboard halfpipe final at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday, February 12th, ending Kim’s bid for a historic third consecutive gold medal. Choi’s winning run came after she had already fallen twice during the competition, a performance that stunned both Kim and observers.
Kim, 25, had appeared to be on track for victory after her first run, leading the field. Still, Choi’s final, unexpectedly clean run forced Kim to attempt a more ambitious second run. According to reports from the event, Kim paused for a long moment at the top of the halfpipe before her final attempt, appearing to contemplate her strategy.
“I was in very similar shoes once upon a time,” Kim said, referencing her own surprise victory at the 2018 Winter Olympics when she was also 17. “It’s such a full circle moment.”
Kim ultimately could not surpass Choi’s score, settling for a silver medal. The result marked a significant shift in the landscape of women’s snowboard halfpipe, with Choi emerging as a new force in the sport. She had previously demonstrated her potential with an X Games gold medal at the age of 14.
The pressure on Kim leading up to the event was considerable, as she aimed to develop into the first snowboarder, male or female, to win three Olympic gold medals in the halfpipe. Despite the loss, Kim indicated she felt a sense of freedom in her final run, stating she chose to “go for it” rather than play it safe.
Elsewhere at the Milano-Cortina Games, Nick Goepper, a three-time Olympic medalist in slopestyle skiing, made his debut in the halfpipe competition. Goepper has been open about his past struggles with mental health and his desire to inspire others through his vulnerability.
As of February 20th, Goepper is carving his own path with this halfpipe debut, following a career that included bronze in 2014 and silver medals in 2018 and 2022 in slopestyle events.
