Chloe Kim is in the news after tearing her shoulder labrum at the Olympics, risking her gold medal hopes. She’s a two-time Olympic champ, born in 2000.
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Japan's snowboarders Kimura and Kimata won gold and silver in men's big air, marking Japan's first Olympic medals in this event. Meanwhile, the U.S. faces a decline in halfpipe infrastructure, impacting its future competitiveness in snowboarding.
Several US athletes at the Milan Winter Olympics expressed mixed feelings about representing the US amid political and social issues at home. Their comments sparked backlash from political figures, social media, and fellow athletes, raising questions about patriotism and free expression during international sports events.
Chloe Kim, a two-time Olympic snowboarding champion, failed to secure her third consecutive gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics after falling on her final runs. She was overtaken by 17-year-old Choi Ga-on of South Korea, who scored 90.25 on her last attempt. Kim, 25, had led after her first run but fell twice in her final attempts, ending with silver. The event was marked by controversy over scoring and the emergence of a young rival. Kim had previously won gold in 2018 and 2022, but her bid for a historic third was thwarted despite landing the sport's most difficult trick, a double-cork 1080. Her injury earlier this season and the intense competition highlight the unpredictability of Olympic snowboarding. The result signals a shift in the sport's landscape, with new talent challenging established champions.