Chloe Kim to Compete in Olympics with Shoulder Brace

Snowboarding star says she's anxious but confident heading into Beijing Games

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Chloe Kim, the 25-year-old American snowboarding star, will compete in the upcoming Olympics with a shoulder brace after injuring her shoulder during training last month. Despite the setback, Kim says she feels confident in her abilities and is planning to attempt a new, more difficult run that she has never done before.

Why it matters

Kim is the defending Olympic champion in the women's snowboard halfpipe, having won gold medals in 2018 and 2022. Her ability to compete at a high level despite the injury will be closely watched, as she faces a challenge from rising star Gaon Choi of Korea.

The details

Kim injured her shoulder during a training run in Switzerland in mid-January, just a month before the Olympics. She returned to the halfpipe about two weeks ago and is wearing a brace on her left shoulder, which she says has actually improved her riding. Kim's coach, Rick Bower, says the riding is at the point where she can still compete for the gold medal, despite the injury not being an ideal situation.

  • Kim injured her shoulder during a training run in Switzerland in mid-January 2026.
  • Kim returned to the halfpipe about two weeks before the 2026 Olympics.
  • The 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy will begin on February 11.

The players

Chloe Kim

A 25-year-old American snowboarder who is the defending Olympic champion in the women's snowboard halfpipe, having won gold medals in 2018 and 2022.

Gaon Choi

A 17-year-old Korean snowboarder who has been ramping up the difficulty of her tricks and could pose a threat to Kim's three-peat.

Rick Bower

Chloe Kim's coach, who says the riding is at the point where she can still compete for the gold medal despite the injury.

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What they’re saying

“I have so much anxiety. But thankfully I have matcha (tea) and there's good vibes here and my family's here, so we'll be good.”

— Chloe Kim (sun-sentinel.com)

“Clearly, it's not an ideal situation, but all things considered, the work she's put in over the last 15 years, she's in a place where she can deal with it. Though it's not what we'd like, the riding is at the point to where she can still compete for gold.”

— Rick Bower, Chloe Kim's coach (sun-sentinel.com)

“I feel confident. I feel really good about how I'm feeling physically and mentally, and that's most important right now.”

— Chloe Kim (sun-sentinel.com)

What’s next

Kim will begin her quest for a third straight Olympic gold medal in the women's snowboard halfpipe competition on February 11.

The takeaway

Despite the injury setback, Chloe Kim remains confident in her abilities and is planning to attempt a new, more difficult run at the Olympics. Her ability to overcome this challenge and compete at a high level will be closely watched, as she faces a rising threat from Korean snowboarder Gaon Choi.