Olympic Snowboarder Chloe Kim’s Gold Medal Three-Peat Threatened by Shoulder Injury
U.S. Olympic snowboarding champion Chloe Kim’s dreams of making history at the upcoming Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics are suddenly in jeopardy following what she described as “the silliest fall” during a training session in Switzerland. The 25-year-old two-time gold medalist dislocated her shoulder while practicing in Laax ahead of a critical Olympic tune-up competition. Kim shared video footage of the accident on social media, showing her taking a hard tumble onto the snow and sliding across the halfpipe. Despite the setback, Kim is maintaining a positive outlook, noting that she still has good range of motion and isn’t experiencing severe pain. Her main concern is preventing the shoulder from repeatedly dislocating, which has happened since the injury. “I’m just trying to stay really optimistic,” Kim said. “I feel really good about where my snowboarding is at right now, so I know the minute I get cleared and I’m good to go, I should be fine.” She’s scheduled for an MRI that will reveal the full extent of the damage and help determine her recovery timeline.
Kim’s potential absence from the Winter Olympics would be a significant blow to the Games, removing one of its brightest stars and most compelling narratives. The snowboarding phenom is attempting to accomplish something unprecedented in action sports: winning three consecutive gold medals in the same event. Not even legendary snowboarder Shaun White achieved this feat, as his three halfpipe golds were spread across five Olympics. Kim first captured the world’s attention at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, where the then-teenager won gold in her parents’ home country of South Korea with her infectious personality and groundbreaking performances. She successfully defended her title at the 2022 Beijing Games, further cementing her status while also opening up about the personal challenges that come with fame and success.
Throughout her career, Kim has consistently pushed the boundaries of women’s snowboarding with her technical prowess and fearless approach. She made history at the Winter X Games two years ago by becoming the first woman to successfully execute a 1260-degree spin in competition. Before that milestone, she was already breaking barriers as the first woman to land a double-cork 1080 (consisting of two flips and one spin) and the first to complete back-to-back 1080s in competition. These achievements have established her as the undisputed leader in women’s halfpipe snowboarding, with no competitor coming close to matching her skill level and competitive results in recent years.
Kim had been working diligently to expand her already impressive repertoire of tricks for the upcoming Games in February, where she would have been the overwhelming favorite to claim a third consecutive gold medal if fully healthy. However, this injury has cast considerable doubt on those plans. The Olympic qualifying round for women’s halfpipe is scheduled for February 11, giving Kim limited time to recover and regain her competition form. The timing is particularly challenging as Kim has maintained a relatively light competition schedule this season. She was already dealing with shoulder concerns after pulling out of the final at a December event in Copper Mountain, Colorado, following a fall during warmups, though that injury was not considered serious at the time.
The upcoming Laax Open was intended to be a crucial Olympic preparation event for Kim, but her participation now seems unlikely given the recent injury. This raises the possibility that Kim could enter the Olympics without having competed in a contest final during the current season. Despite these challenges, Kim is trying to remain hopeful about her recovery prospects. “It should be fine,” she said regarding her shoulder. “I’m just hoping that it doesn’t take too long, but I’m going to be chilling for the next little while.” The snowboarding community and Olympic fans worldwide will be anxiously awaiting updates on her condition, as her potential absence would remove one of the Winter Games’ most anticipated performances.
The situation is reminiscent of the pressures and challenges elite athletes face as they prepare for the Olympic stage. For Kim, who has already accomplished so much at a young age, this injury represents perhaps the most significant obstacle in her otherwise stellar career. Her journey embodies the unpredictable nature of high-level sports, where years of preparation can be jeopardized in a moment. As the Olympics approach, the snowboarding world holds its collective breath, hoping that one of its brightest stars will recover in time to pursue her historic three-peat attempt and continue inspiring a new generation of athletes with her remarkable talent and resilient spirit.
