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Chloe Kim overcomes injury to win third Olympic halfpipe medal
- Story by
- Chloe Kim overcomes injury to win third Olympic halfpipe medal
LIVIGNO, Italy – Making history didn't come easy.
Little more than a month ago, it wasn't clear if Team USA snowboarding star Chloe Kim would even be able to compete in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics after dislocating her shoulder in training.
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But she made it, and when she did, she still finished on the podium.
The 25-year-old Kim landed a score of 88 on her first run before crashing on the next two. It was good enough for silver. Korea's Gaon Choi won gold after scoring a 90.25 on her final run. Japan's Mitsuki Ono bronze with an 85.
Team USA snowboarding star Chloe Kim
overcame an injury to win silver in the Women's halfpipe competition at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics
.
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
Chloe Kim of Team United States reacts after she crashes in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
Gaon Choi of the Republic of Korea delivered a gold medal final run in the women's halfpipe after a dramatic crash in her first run during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
Gaon Choi of South Korea in action during run 3 of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Gonzalo Fuentes, REUTERS)
Gaon Choi of Team Republic of Korea reacts after competing in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)
Queralt Castellet Ibanez of Spain crashes during her third run of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Dylan Martinez, REUTERS)
Bea Kim of Team United States competes in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
Chloe Kim of the United States in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
Chloe Kim of the United States in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
Italy; Chloe Kim of the United States in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
Chloe Kim of the United States with her boyfriend Cleveland Browns player Myles Garrett after her second run in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
Maddie Mastro of Team United States reacts after competing in run two of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)
Japan's Mitsuki Ono competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park, in Livigno on Feb. 12, 2026.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Cameron Spencer, Getty Images)
USA's Chloe Kim competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Hannah Peters, Getty Images)
Chloe Kim of the United States celebrates after her first run in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
Chloe Kim of the United States gets a hug from her boyfriend Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett after the first run in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
Sara Shimizu of Team Japan competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Hannah Peters, Getty Images)
Sara Shimizu of Team Japan crashes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
USA's Maddie Mastro competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
Maddie Mastro of Team United States competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
Japan's Rise Kudo competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
China's Cai Xuetong competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026.
(Joe Camporeale, Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
South Korea's Choi Gaon crashes as she competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
Queralt Castellet Ibanez of Spain in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
Elizabeth Hosking of Canada in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
Sena Tomita of Japan in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Team USA snowboarding star Chloe Kim
overcame an injury to win silver in the Women's halfpipe competition at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics
.
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
1
/29
Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Team USA snowboarding star Chloe Kim
overcame an injury to win silver in the Women's halfpipe competition at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics
.
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of Team United States reacts after she crashes in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Gaon Choi of the Republic of Korea delivered a gold medal final run in the women's halfpipe after a dramatic crash in her first run during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
4
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Gaon Choi of South Korea in action during run 3 of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Gonzalo Fuentes, REUTERS)
5
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Gaon Choi of Team Republic of Korea reacts after competing in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)
6
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Queralt Castellet Ibanez of Spain crashes during her third run of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Dylan Martinez, REUTERS)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Bea Kim of Team United States competes in run three of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of the United States in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of the United States in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Italy; Chloe Kim of the United States in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of the United States with her boyfriend Cleveland Browns player Myles Garrett after her second run in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Maddie Mastro of Team United States reacts after competing in run two of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Japan's Mitsuki Ono competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park, in Livigno on Feb. 12, 2026.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Cameron Spencer, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
USA's Chloe Kim competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of Team United States competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Hannah Peters, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of the United States celebrates after her first run in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Chloe Kim of the United States gets a hug from her boyfriend Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett after the first run in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Sara Shimizu of Team Japan competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Hannah Peters, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Sara Shimizu of Team Japan crashes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
USA's Maddie Mastro competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Maddie Mastro of Team United States competes in run one of the Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe Final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026 in Livigno, Italy.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Japan's Rise Kudo competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
China's Cai Xuetong competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026.
(Joe Camporeale, Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
South Korea's Choi Gaon crashes as she competes in the snowboard women's halfpipe final run 1 during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 12, 2026.
(KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV, AFP via Getty Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Queralt Castellet Ibanez of Spain in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Elizabeth Hosking of Canada in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Joe Camporeale, Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)
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Chloe Kim goes sky-high at the women's snowboard halfpipe final
Sena Tomita of Japan in the women's halfpipe final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck, Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
"I love Gaon so much. I've known her since she was a very small child," Kim said. "Seeing her at this big stage is such a full-circle moment. I definitely feel old, but it's really cool to see how much she's progressed. I met her when she literally started halfpipe snowboarding. Sometimes it feels like I'm seeing a mirror reflection of myself and my family.
"Her dad is so on top of it, her mum is also so supportive. It's really so cool to see another Korean girl out here killing it. We're seeing a big shift to Asians being dominant in snow sports. I've had aunts telling me that I shouldn't snowboard, get a real career, focus on school. It's cool to see that shift happening."
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The concern was real about Kim entering these Olympics, considering how much her injured shoulder had limited her training before she arrived in Livigno.
Breezy Johnson of the United States celebrates with her gold medal after winning the women's downhill alpine skiing race, on Feb. 8, 2026.
(Michael Madrid, Imagn Images)
Gold medallists Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Ellie Kam, Danny O'Shea, Amber Glenn, and Ilia Malinin celebrate on the podium of the figure skating team event, on Feb. 8, 2026.
(Wang Zhao, AFP via Getty Images)
Silver medallist USA's Ben Ogden celebrates on the podium for the men's cross country sprint classic final event on Feb.10, 2026.
(Anne-Christine Poujoulat, AFP via Getty Images)
Bronze medalist Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan Team United States celebrate with their medals on the podium after during the Women's Team Combined, on Feb. 10, 2026.
(Julian Finney, Getty Images)
Silver medallist USA's Alex Hall celebrates on the podium after the freestyle skiing men's freeski slopestyle final, on Feb.10, 2026.
(Jeff Pachoud, AFP via Getty Images)
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Breezy Johnson of the United States celebrates with her gold medal after winning the women's downhill alpine skiing race, on Feb. 8, 2026.
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Breezy Johnson of the United States celebrates with her gold medal after winning the women's downhill alpine skiing race, on Feb. 8, 2026.
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Gold medallists Madison Chock, Evan Bates, Ellie Kam, Danny O'Shea, Amber Glenn, and Ilia Malinin celebrate on the podium of the figure skating team event, on Feb. 8, 2026.
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Silver medallist USA's Ben Ogden celebrates on the podium for the men's cross country sprint classic final event on Feb.10, 2026.
(Anne-Christine Poujoulat, AFP via Getty Images)
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Bronze medalist Jacqueline Wiles and Paula Moltzan Team United States celebrate with their medals on the podium after during the Women's Team Combined, on Feb. 10, 2026.
(Julian Finney, Getty Images)
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Silver medallist USA's Alex Hall celebrates on the podium after the freestyle skiing men's freeski slopestyle final, on Feb.10, 2026.
(Jeff Pachoud, AFP via Getty Images)
Kim said prior to the competition she hadn't started snowboarding again until about two weeks beforehand, and her comments suggested she wasn't sure what to expect this time.
"It's kind of crazy that my first (competition) of the season is the Olympics," Kim said on Feb. 9 . "But we'll figure it out. … We have a really fun (USA) squad, and I think that will help kind of stay focused and just remind myself why I'm here, which is to have fun."
Once qualifying arrived on the Feb. 11, however, Kim looked like herself in the halfpipe. With her first run, she scored a 90.25 to finish first in the qualifying by nearly three points.
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Afterward, she stressed how happy she was just to be here after the doubts of the injury.
But she also said that she hadn't thrown her best stuff in that qualifying run, hinting as what was to come in the finals.
Kim is one of the most famous U.S. athletes in these Olympics, boasting more than a million Instagram followers and a Hollywood film credit. She's an international celebrity. A fashion mogul.
And now, a THREE -time Olympic medalist.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chloe Kim overcomes injury to win third Olympic halfpipe medal
