Chloe Kim, a standout figure in American snowboarding, is gearing up for her quest for an extraordinary third straight gold medal in the women’s halfpipe at the 2026 Winter Olympics, starting on Wednesday.
Despite recently dealing with a shoulder injury, which some might view as a setback, the 25-year-old Kim remains the favorite to win, according to prediction market Carsi.
Kim, along with her competitors, will begin the qualifying rounds on Wednesday, with the finals slated for Thursday, February 12th.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the market showed early activity, hovering just below $24,000, but it’s clear that many anticipate Kim will secure a leading position.
Carsi estimates there’s a 55 percent chance that Kim will finish in the top three, which is significantly ahead compared to other contenders.
Kim first captured the world’s attention during the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, where she made history as the youngest female athlete to win a gold medal in snowboarding at just 17. She also clinched gold at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
In addition to her Olympic accolades, Kim is a three-time world champion in halfpipe events.
Notably, her main competitor in Wednesday’s event appears to be Gaon Choi, who is viewed as a serious contender with a 36 percent chance of taking home gold. Choi, a talented 17-year-old from South Korea, shares the same age as Kim was when she achieved her groundbreaking victory in Pyeongchang.
Interestingly, Choi has already eclipsed one of Kim’s records by becoming the youngest female athlete (at 14 years and 2 months) to win a halfpipe gold medal at the X Games. Leading up to the Olympics, Choi has been on an impressive streak, winning three consecutive FIS Snowboard World Cup events throughout the 2025-26 season, with her most recent victory occurring on January 17th.
Choi aims to make history as the first Korean woman to medal in snow sports, a significant goal given that no Korean has yet secured a gold medal in snowboarding.
As the qualifying round approaches, the other participants in Carsi have been assigned odds of less than 1% for winning, underscoring the focus on Kim and Choi.
