Quick Read
- Chloe Kim won a silver medal in the women’s halfpipe final, missing her bid for a third consecutive Olympic gold.
- South Korea’s 17-year-old Choi Gaon secured the gold medal with a score of 90.25 on her final run, surpassing Kim’s 88.00.
- Kim indicated her retirement from competitive snowboarding after the event.
- Jake Pates advanced to the men’s halfpipe final after a four-year retirement due to mental health issues and a concussion.
- Pates, who founded the Happy Healthy Brain Foundation, secured his final spot with a clutch 75.50 score in qualifying.
LIVIGNO, ITALY (Azat TV) – The 2026 Winter Olympics halfpipe finals in Livigno, Italy, have delivered a mix of dramatic upsets and inspiring comebacks, with American snowboarder Chloe Kim securing a silver medal after a bid for historic third consecutive gold was thwarted, while fellow U.S. athlete Jake Pates advanced to the men’s final, marking a significant return to elite competition after a four-year hiatus for mental health reasons.
Chloe Kim’s Historic Streak Ends with Silver
Chloe Kim, the 25-year-old two-time Olympic gold medalist, was aiming to become the first snowboarder, male or female, to win three consecutive Olympic halfpipe titles. Her quest for history concluded with a silver medal on Thursday, February 12, after a sensational final run by 17-year-old South Korean Choi Gaon.
Kim initially held the lead with an impressive first-run score of 88.00. However, Choi, who had taken a heavy fall on her first attempt amidst falling snow, rebounded with a remarkable 90.25 on her final run, putting immense pressure on Kim. With one last chance to reclaim the top spot, Kim fell midway through her final run, solidifying Choi’s victory and securing the gold medal for South Korea. Kim, a dominant force in the sport for over a decade, later revealed she encouraged Choi after her initial fall, telling her, “You got this. You’re a badass snowboarder,” as reported by The New York Times.
Following the event, Kim indicated her retirement from competitive snowboarding. “I’m here walking away with my third medal! This is so sick!” she stated, expressing pride in her career. Kim had been candid about her goals leading up to these Games and had reportedly been drifting away from the sport since 2022, making this event feel like a “last hurrah,” according to Yahoo Sports. Her family, including her NFL star boyfriend Myles Garrett, were present to celebrate her career achievements.
Other American finalists in the women’s event included Bea Kim, who finished eighth with a 77.00 score on her second run, and Maddie Mastro, who struggled, falling on all three runs and placing 12th.
Jake Pates’ Inspirational Halfpipe Comeback
On the men’s side, Jake Pates’ journey to the 2026 Winter Olympics halfpipe final is being hailed as one of the most improbable comeback stories of the Milano Cortina Games. The 27-year-old from Colorado, an Olympian at 19 in Pyeongchang in 2018, retired from competitive snowboarding in 2020, citing mental health struggles and the impact of a severe concussion sustained in 2019.
Pates candidly shared his experiences, explaining his retirement was “rooted in that loss of belief (in myself)” and exacerbated by “mental health issues… Things like doubt, just negative spiraling, ruminating, depression. I had so much going on, so much anxiety,” he told USA Today. During his time away, he founded the Happy Healthy Brain Foundation in 2020 to assist others dealing with brain injuries and mental health challenges.
After a four-year break from competition, during which he rode only sporadically, Pates credits the support of friends, particularly Japanese snowboarder Ayumu Hirano—a long-time competitor and 2022 halfpipe gold-medalist—and Hirano’s brother Kaishu, for encouraging his return. He gradually worked his way back into world cup competition approximately two years ago, eventually earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team through coaches’ discretion.
In the Olympic qualifying round on February 11, Pates faced a “nailbiter” moment after falling on his first run. He bounced back with a crucial 75.50 on his second run, narrowly securing the 12th and final spot for the men’s halfpipe final, which is scheduled for Friday, February 13. Pates expressed profound gratitude, stating, “The journey has just been crazy. I’m blown away that I’m even at the Olympics, nonetheless being in the finals. Just filled with gratitude. My heart is full.” He also used a pre-competition news conference as a platform to encourage others facing struggles, emphasizing the importance of finding gratefulness and believing in oneself.
The 2026 Winter Olympics halfpipe finals in Livigno have underscored the intense personal journeys and high-stakes drama inherent in elite sports, simultaneously marking the conclusion of a legendary career and celebrating an extraordinary return to the pinnacle of competition.