Gaon Choi Upsets Chloe Kim to Win Olympic Halfpipe Gold
Gaon Choi, 17, scored 90.25 to win women's halfpipe gold at Livigno on Feb. 13, 2026; Chloe Kim, 25, scored 88.00 and said she needs left shoulder surgery.
New York Daily NewsChloe Kim falls short of Olympic three-peat, but passes the torch to a protege from South Korea
TIME MagazineAfter Back-to-Back Gold, Why Is Chloe Kim So Happy With Silver?
USA TODAYChloe Kim comforted Gaon Choi after a nasty fall. Then, Choi beat her for Olympic gold
NBC NewsFrom the sports desk: Chloe Kim takes silver, falls short of history
Overview
Gaon Choi, 17, scored 90.25 to win the women's Olympic halfpipe gold over Chloe Kim, 25, who scored 88.00, at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 13, 2026, official Olympic results show.
The result ended Chloe Kim's bid to become the first snowboarder to win three consecutive Olympic halfpipe golds and followed a dislocated left shoulder Kim suffered in early January, Kim said.
Chloe Kim congratulated Choi at the finish and called the outcome "a full-circle moment," while Gaon Choi said in a postrun interview, "It's the kind of story you only see in dreams," according to broadcasters.
Choi's victory marked South Korea's first Olympic snowboarding gold and made her the first Korean woman to win an Olympic snow-sport gold, Olympic organizers said.
Chloe Kim said she will require left shoulder surgery upon returning to the United States and did not provide a timeline for a comeback, Kim said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the result as a passing-of-the-torch, resilience story: editorial language uses vivid evaluative terms ('nastiest fall,' 'badass'), spotlights Kim’s mentorship and Choi’s national-first gold, and centers dramatic, emotional moments. Direct quotes are source content, but selection and placement are used editorially to craft an uplifting, celebratory narrative.
FAQ
Gaon Choi scored 90.25 to win gold, while Chloe Kim scored 88.00 for silver.
Chloe Kim suffered a dislocated left shoulder and torn labrum in early January during training.
Choi's victory was South Korea's first Olympic snowboarding gold and made her the first Korean woman to win Olympic snow-sport gold.
Choi met Kim at a 2017 event; Kim and her father helped bring Choi to the US to train, and Kim has called her a reflection of herself.
Chloe Kim requires left shoulder surgery upon returning to the US and did not specify a comeback timeline.
