Chloe Kim Wins Gold in Snowboard Halfpipe at Beijing Olympics
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Chloe Kim returned to the winter Olympics in style. The Masked Singer Jellyfish came back to the competition to defend her 2018 gold medal win, but became way more than that. At only 21 years old, Kim is now a two-time olympic gold medalist.
Kim made history in the last winter olympics as the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold medal. She was 17 at the time of her first win. After bringing home the gold for Team U.S.A. the snowboarder sky rocketed to fame. Between Olympics Kim attended Princeton University while on a hiatus from the sport. In 2020 she announced her return.
Chloe Kim Wins Gold in Women’s Snowboard Halfpipe After One Run
While some athletes would be nervous about returning to the Olympics after a hiatus, Kim went in with loads of courage and skill. In her first run she completed a five-trick run involving two 1080s (three full revolutions). As soon as she finished the run, commentators noted that it was a guaranteed win.
In her other two runs Kim tried to attempt new tricks in the competition. It was purely that run that won the medal for her. In press conferences Kim explained that she had a rocky run in practices.
Even after multiple other rounds and loads of other athletes, no one beat Kim. She defintely came back to the competition and showed that she’s a force to reckon with. Kim won the competition with the score of 94.00, silver medalist Queralt Castellet scored 90.25, and bronze medalist Sena Tomita scored 88.25.
CHLOE KIM STOMPS IT IN RUN 1.@ChloeKim's 94.00 puts her in the top spot in the Snowboard Halfpipe Final! #WinterOlympics
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 10, 2022
📺: @nbc & @peacockTV
Stream: https://t.co/HTEl6kZ7K4 pic.twitter.com/EP7RnV2qxf
Kim’s family is not in attendance at the Beijing Winter Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but she did get to talk to them after her win. In the past, Kim has always expressed how grateful she is to see her parents cheering her on in the stands. Beijing has strict COVID-19 rules in place for the health and safety of the Olympic athletes and press. Only mainland China residents are allowed to attend the event.
On Feb 10, Kim posted to Instagram, thanking her fans for the love. In her statement she shared that her gold medal status still hasn’t hit her yet. She said the Olympics aren’t the same for her without friends and family in attendance, but she’s thankful the competition didn’t get postponed.
