South Korea's Choi Ga-on delivered a stunning performance to win the gold medal in women's snowboard halfpipe at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics. According to snowbrains.com, the event, which took place on Thursday, February 12, was held in snowy Livigno, Italy, and saw Choi dethrone Team USA's Chloe Kim, who was aiming for her third consecutive Olympic gold in the event.
The competition concluded with Choi Ga-on taking gold, Chloe Kim securing silver, and Mitsuki Ono of Japan claiming the bronze medal. Twelve riders competed for the podium positions at the Winter Games.
Chloe Kim's final run ended in frustration after a fall, despite leading for a significant portion of the event, according to snowbrains.com. Kim's first run, which included a double-cork 1080, earned her a score of 88.00, giving her a comfortable lead. Fellow American Maddie Mastro finished in 12th place after struggling on each of her runs. Bea Kim, the other rider representing Team USA, finished in 8th place.
Choi Ga-on's path to victory was marked by resilience. She fell hard on her first run and needed assistance to descend the halfpipe. It was uncertain if she would continue, but she returned for her second run, snowbrains.com reports. While she also fell on her second run, she delivered a remarkable performance in her third and final attempt.
In her final run, Choi executed a backside 900, followed by a switch frontside 720, and two more 900s. Her final score of 90.25 triggered a celebration among the crowd.
According to snowbrains.com, Choi Ga-on's gold medal represents South Korea's first Olympic medal in any snow sport, securing her place in Olympic history.
