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Defending champion Kim won gold in the women’s event at the Winter Games in the final on 10 February at Genting Snow Park.
Chloe Kim claimed her second successive Olympic snowboard women’s halfpipe gold medal in style. The American held the lead from the opening round in the Beijing 2022 final at the Genting Snow Park in the Zhangjiakou mountains. Kim’s huge first run was given a score of 94.00 to lead the way.
She fell on her second run while trying an historic 1260, and went straight over to hug freeski gold medllist Ailing (Eileen) Gu who was watching in the crowd at the Secret Garden pipe. Gu was heard saying “You’ll get it on your next run.”
Before starting her final run, Kim already knew she would be the gold medallist. She fell again attempting the 12, saying “I hit my face so hard,” and “that hurt,” but was still smiling following the win.
Queralt Castellet of took the silver medal with her impressive second run score of 90.25, for the first medal for a Spanish woman in any Winter Olympic sport since 1992.
Sena Tomita of Japan took bronze with 88.25. Chinese snowboarder Cai Xuetong finishing just out of the medals, less than a point behind.
Defending champ Kim was the final snowboarder to go in each of the rounds, wearing bib number 2.
The Team USA star became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold when she claimed the PyeongChang 2018 title at the last Winter Games as a 17-year-old.
Chloe Kim was all smiles after winning her second Olympic gold medal, with victory in the snowboard women’s halfpipe at Beijing 2022.
“It feels so unreal,” she said after the final in the Zhangjiakou mountains on Thursday.
The American became the first female snowboarder to successfully defend her title. Kim dominated the top of the scoreboard in the final at the Genting Snow Park, as a fierce battle raged for the other podium places, and was quick to thank her team and family afterwards.
“I worked so hard for four years to get back here and do this again,” she added. I’m just so proud of myself and I’m so grateful for everyone that supported me, even when I decided to take time off to go to school. I mean, it’s just meant the world. I really think if it weren’t for everyone supporting me, I wouldn’t be here with another gold medal.” – Chloe Kim after Beijing 2022 gold
Kim was the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold when she claimed the PyeongChang 2018 title for Team USA as a 17-year-old, and has spoken openly about her struggles following that success.
She also encouraged Team USA fans to tune in for Shaun White’s last Olympic final, the men’s halfpipe on Friday morning in China (Thursday evening in the U.S.), saying: “The boys go tomorrow [in the men’s halfpipe final]. Make sure to watch our boys. They’re going to kill it.”
Halfpipe Womens Results
- Chloe Kim (USA)
- Queralt Castellet (ESP)
- Sena Tomita (JPN)