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Teenager Choi Ga-on claims historic halfpipe gold at Winter Olympics
South Korea's Choi Ga-on delivered a breathtaking final run to secure gold in the women's halfpipe snowboarding event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, denying Chloe Kim a third consecutive title.
The fall that nearly ended it all
Choi's path to victory was nearly derailed in her opening run when she crashed hard on the icy lip of the halfpipe, tumbling into the center and lying motionless for several moments. Heavy snowfall blanketed the course as she eventually regrouped, her coach visibly distraught.
"After the first run, I actually cried really hard, thinking maybe I should just quit the Olympics here," Choi said. "I cried because I thought I wouldn't be able to compete. But the thought kept coming back to me: 'You can do this. You have to go on.' That's what pushed me forward."
A dream realized in the final run
Against all odds, Choi returned for her third and final attempt, executing a flawless run that earned her 90.25 points-enough to edge out Kim, who had led after qualification with the same score. The crowd erupted in a mix of cheers and gasps as Choi's result flashed on the scoreboard.
"It's the kind of story you only see in dreams, so I'm incredibly happy. During the final, mentally it was so tough. But right now I am the happiest."
Choi Ga-on
Kim's legacy and a full-circle moment
The victory marked a poignant moment for Kim, who had mentored Choi since the South Korean was a child. The two first met at a 2018 Pyeongchang test event, where Kim, then 17, won her first Olympic gold. Kim's father, a South Korean native, was among the first to congratulate Choi after her win.
"She's someone I've known since she was little. It's such a full-circle moment seeing her from when she was so young to now standing next to her on the Olympic podium."
Chloe Kim
Kim, competing with a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum sustained in training, fell short of her bid for a third straight gold. Despite scoring 88.00 in her opening run, she faltered in her final attempt, settling for silver-the first Olympic medal of her career that wasn't gold.
Kim reflects on her journey
Speaking after the event, Kim, who will undergo shoulder surgery, expressed pride in her performance despite the outcome. "I'm so proud of myself," she said. "There was a lot of conversation about me [attempting to win a third gold], but honestly, I'm just so glad I was able to get here."
She added: "I think this one might mean more than the others. I think I put it all out there. In the past, I would take a cautious approach and ride to win, but these days I've just wanted to do what felt good, and I feel like I really gave it my all."
The road to Milan-Cortina
Choi's rise has been meteoric. In 2023, at just 14, she became the youngest X Games superpipe champion, breaking Kim's record. Later that year, she won her first World Cup but was sidelined for the season after fracturing her back. This Olympic season, she dominated, winning every World Cup event she entered before arriving in Italy.
Japan's Mitsuki Ono rounded out the podium with a score of 85.00, earning bronze.
