The three-peat quest of USA snowboarding star Chloe Kim is over, after a 90.25-point halfpipe performance from South Korea's Gaon Choi saw the 17-year-old overtake Kim to become the sport's youngest-ever Olympic gold medalist on Thursday.
Kim led for most of the event with a score of 88.00 points, until Choi — who nearly missed her second run after requiring a concussion check following a concerning first-run fall — stole the show with a dramatic, come-from-behind final run.
With one shot left, Kim's last run ended in a tumble, forcing the back-to-back gold medalist to settle for silver while Japan's Mitsuki Ono took bronze.
"A month ago I wasn't even sure if I would be here," Kim told reporters after the competition, referencing her recently dislocated shoulder. "I really worked so hard to get here, and so this medal means so much to me."
The 25-year-old didn't miss a beat after Choi — who calls Chloe Kim her "idol" — secured gold on Thursday, immediately celebrating with the young snowboarder whom she's mentored for years.
"I'm so proud of [Choi]," said Kim. "There's no one else I would have rather stood next to on the podium than her. I'm so proud of her, and I'm so excited to see what she does next."
Calling it "a full-circle moment," the snowboarding veteran is witnessing her legacy play out in real time — all while still securing hardware.
"It's all part of the sport — it's all about inspiring the next generation," Kim explained. "It's all about passing the torch."
