Story by
Snowboarder Gaon Choi crashes twice but then wins women's halfpipe
- Story by
- Snowboarder Gaon Choi crashes twice but then wins women's halfpipe
South Korea snowboarder Gaon Choi took two hard hits in her first two runs of the women's halfpipe finals at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
Her third run led her to Olympic gold .
Choi posted a 90.25 in her third run at the Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, which was good enough to stop USA's Chloe Kim from winning a historic third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the event. Kim did not finish her second or third runs after falling.
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)
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.
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.
2
/29
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)
3
/29
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
/29
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
/29
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
/29
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)
7
/29
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)
8
/29
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)
9
/29
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)
10
/29
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)
11
/29
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)
12
/29
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)
13
/29
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)
14
/29
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)
15
/29
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)
16
/29
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)
17
/29
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)
18
/29
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)
19
/29
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)
20
/29
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)
21
/29
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)
22
/29
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)
23
/29
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)
24
/29
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)
25
/29
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)
26
/29
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)
27
/29
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)
28
/29
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)
29
/29
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)
REQUIRED READING: Winter Olympics live updates: Chloe Kim goes for third gold medal
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Choi's first crash came as she was coming down on her second trick. Choi hit the lip and took a hard crash down to the ground. Choi was one of several riders to take a hit and crash in the first run of Thursday's medal event, with weather conditions not ideal for riders due to snowfall.
She was tended to for a few minutes down on the course before she got up on her own power and went off the course, according to USA TODAY Sports' Chris Bumbaca.
Choi's second run did not go well, either, as she didn't finish it as she went down after going up on the first wall. NBC's broadcast initially mentioned that Choi was pulling herself out of the race, but then she immediately changed course.
Only five snowboarders, including Kim, put runs down on the first run, with the others crashing. Kim posted a score of 88.00 on the run.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast . Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: South Korea's Gaon Choi takes hits, wins women's halfpipe
