The judging issue that caused a stir in ice skating has now made its way to snowboarding.
While the spotlight has been on Team USA’s Evan Bates and Madison Chock—who controversially took second place—Chloe Kim’s silver medal in the women’s halfpipe is now facing scrutiny.
The two-time Olympic gold medalist scored 88.0 points on her first run and was in the lead until 17-year-old Choi Ga-on clinched the top spot with a score of 90.25 on her final attempt.
In this competition, only the best run counts, and Kim came close but ultimately fell short of Gaon’s top score. Unfortunately for her, Kim’s ambitions for a third consecutive title were dashed when she didn’t perform well in her last two runs.
Many believe that Kim should have secured the top position, especially given that she executed the event’s most challenging trick, the double cork 1080, while Gaon did not attempt it.
Commentators on NBC seemed taken aback by Kim’s score. Did the judges underestimate her after the first run, expecting a bigger performance later?
NBC’s Todd Richards shared his views online following the event, stating, “If you go upside down twice during a 1080, the risk of messing it up is much greater than a switchbackside 900. So for me, Chloe’s 88 should have put her in the lead if she had landed it later.”
Kim, who won her first gold at just 17 during the 2018 PyeongChang Games, added two more titles at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
After the competition, she expressed her admiration for Gaon, saying, “I’ve known her since she was very young. Seeing her here feels like a full-circle moment. It certainly makes me feel older, but it’s amazing to see how far she’s come. I met her when she first started in halfpipe snowboarding, and sometimes it feels like I’m looking into a mirror.”
2026 Winter Olympics
Shaun White, who has won three Olympic gold medals in halfpipe events, attended to witness Kim’s journey.
Meanwhile, Kim’s boyfriend, NFL player Myles Garrett, was there to support her, especially after she had to deal with a shoulder injury that kept her from competing earlier in the Olympics. She later achieved a qualifying score of 90.25, the highest among the 24 competitors.
