Choi Gaon (L) of South Korea is injured during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- While the spotlight was fixed on American Chloe Kim's bid for a historic third straight Olympic title, a 17-year-old from South Korea stole the moment.
Choi Ga-on showed remarkable resilience Thursday in the women's snowboard halfpipe final, stunning the field with a dramatic late surge to deny Kim a three-peat and claim gold at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Snowfall made conditions treacherous at Livigno Snow Park, triggering crashes across the competition. Choi, making her Olympic debut, took a heavy fall on her opening run and scored just 10 points. After brief medical attention, she returned for her second run - only to fall again.
Few noticed her heading into the third and final run. Then Choi delivered the ride of the night.
She landed a flawless, high-difficulty run to score 90.25, the highest mark of the final, vaulting from obscurity to the top of the podium and securing South Korea's first gold medal of the Games.
Kim, two-time defending Olympic champion, led after the first run with 88 points but was unable to improve in her next two attempts.
Choi broke down in tears after the final standings were confirmed, as a smiling Kim rode over to congratulate the sport's newest Olympic champion. The snowboarding prodigy limped to the podium during the medal ceremony.
Japan's Mitsuki Ono, competing in her second Olympics, posted 85 points on the opening run, the first clean ride of the final, and held on for bronze after failing to build on that score.
China's Cai Xuetong, a five-time Olympian, scored 73 points on her first run and added difficulty in her second to post 80.75, finishing sixth. Her teammate Wu Shaotong placed seventh in the 12-rider final. ■
Choi Gaon (C) of South Korea sheds tears during the awarding ceremony of the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
Gold medalist Choi Gaon of South Korea celebrates on the podium after the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Gold medalist Choi Gaon (C) of South Korea, silver medalist Chloe Kim (L) of the United States and bronze medalist Ono Mitsuki of Japan react on the podium after the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Gold medalist Choi Gaon (C) of South Korea, silver medalist Chloe Kim (L) of the United States and bronze medalist Ono Mitsuki of Japan pose on the podium after the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Gold medalist Choi Gaon of South Korea celebrates on the podium after the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Choi Gaon of South Korea competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
Kudo Rise of Japan competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
Chloe Kim of the United States competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Chloe Kim of the United States reacts during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Elizabeth Hosking of Canada falls during during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Chloe Kim of the United States competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Chloe Kim of the United States competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Chloe Kim of the United States celebrates during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Elizabeth Hosking of Canada falls during during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
(260212) -- LIVIGNO, Feb. 12, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Cai Xuetong of China competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
(260212) -- LIVIGNO, Feb. 12, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wu Shaotong of China competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
(260212) -- LIVIGNO, Feb. 12, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Wu Shaotong of China competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
(260212) -- LIVIGNO, Feb. 12, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Cai Xuetong of China reacts during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
(260212) -- LIVIGNO, Feb. 12, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Cai Xuetong of China competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
(260212) -- LIVIGNO, Feb. 12, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Cai Xuetong of China competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
(260212) -- LIVIGNO, Feb. 12, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Cai Xuetong of China competes during the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 12, 2026. (Xinhua/Xia Yifang)
