Chloe Kim’s Olympic Hopes Dented by Shoulder Injury
Star snowboarder Chloe Kim’s quest for a third consecutive Olympic gold medal is now uncertain after she suffered a shoulder injury during training. The accident happened in Laax, Switzerland, where Kim was preparing for an upcoming event.
Kim described the fall as “silly” and revealed that it dislocated her shoulder. The injury poses a significant challenge to her participation in the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, scheduled for February. A video of the incident shows Kim falling heavily on the snow while practicing on the halfpipe.
Although Kim did not specify which shoulder she injured, she remains optimistic, awaiting the results of an MRI scan to determine the extent of the damage. “The positive thing is, I have range, I’m not in that much pain, I just don’t want it to keep popping out, which has happened,” she said. “I’m just trying to stay really optimistic. I feel really good about where my snowboarding is at right now, so I know the minute I get cleared and I’m good to go, I should be fine.”
If Kim is unable to compete, her absence would be a blow to the Winter Games, as she is one of the sport’s most recognizable and accomplished athletes. She was aiming to become the first action-sports athlete to win three consecutive gold medals. While Shaun White has three halfpipe golds, they were won over five Olympic Games.
Kim rose to fame at the 2018 Olympics, where she won gold in South Korea. She followed that with another gold at the following Winter Games. She has consistently been a dominant force in the sport, pushing boundaries and achieving milestones.
Two years ago, at the Winter X Games, Kim became the first woman to land a 1260-degree spin in competition. She was also the first woman to perform a double-cork 1080 and the first to land back-to-back 1080s.
Kim had been working on new tricks for the Milan Cortina Games and was considered a strong favorite to win another gold medal. However, this injury introduces uncertainty. The qualifying round for women’s halfpipe is on February 11.
The Laax Open is scheduled for next weekend. Even if Kim is cleared to compete, she might enter the Olympics without participating in a final competition this season.
Kim qualified for the U.S. team by winning a contest last year and has maintained a relatively light schedule in the lead-up to the Olympics. She experienced a similar shoulder injury during warmups at Copper Mountain, Colorado, last month and had to withdraw from the final. However, that injury was not considered serious at the time.
Regarding her most recent injury, Kim said, “It should be fine. I’m just hoping that it doesn’t take too long, but I’m going to be chilling for the next little while.”
