Chloe Kim's Olympic three-peat in doubt after Laax shoulder dislocation
Two-time Olympic champion Chloe Kim dislocated her shoulder in Laax training, endangering her spot at next month's Milan-Cortina Games as an MRI assesses severity.
Overview
Chloe Kim, 25, two-time Olympic halfpipe gold medalist, aims for a historic third consecutive gold but has dominated women's halfpipe for nearly a decade.
She dislocated her shoulder during a training run at the Laax halfpipe in Switzerland while preparing at a pre-Olympic tune-up event less than a month before the Games.
Video posted by Kim shows her losing an edge after landing, skittering face-first into the pipe; she reports limited pain and retained range but some instability.
Kim has an MRI scheduled to assess damage and will await medical clearance; qualifying for women's halfpipe begins Feb. 11 at the Milano Cortina Olympics.
Her absence would remove one of the Winter Games' biggest stars and cast doubt on her bid to become the first action-sports athlete to win three straight Olympic golds.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this report neutrally: they rely on direct quotes from Kim (e.g., “trying to stay optimistic,” MRI scheduled) and straightforward facts about the fall, injury, and timeline. There is minimal loaded language, no speculative embellishment, and no evident omission of key perspectives for a brief sports injury update.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Shoulder dislocations can range from mild soft-tissue damage to fractures or labral tears, and athletes sometimes return quickly if there is no major structural injury and they retain strength and range of motion, but clearance to compete will depend on her MRI results and medical staff determining the joint is stable enough to withstand high-impact landings.[1]
Women’s snowboard halfpipe qualifying at the Milano-Cortina Olympics is scheduled to begin on February 11, so Kim would need to be medically cleared and ready to ride by then to defend her title.
Kim is attempting to become the first action-sports athlete to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals, having already taken halfpipe gold at both PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022.
Kim has said the shoulder is not causing her significant pain and that she has retained her range of motion, which can be an encouraging sign, although she still feels some instability that the MRI must clarify.[1]
During a halfpipe training run in Laax, video shows Kim losing an edge upon landing and sliding face-first down the wall of the pipe, a fall that resulted in her shoulder dislocation.
History
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