Chloe Kim Dominates Olympic Halfpipe Qualifying

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Chloe Kim, the four-time Olympic gold medalist in snowboard halfpipe, showed no signs of rust from a recent shoulder injury as she easily qualified for the finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy. Kim finished first in the qualifying round, impressing with a massive jump and technical tricks like a 1080-degree spin. Despite the injury setback, Kim is the heavy favorite to become the first snowboarder to win three straight Olympic gold medals.

Why it matters

Chloe Kim's dominance in the halfpipe event has made her one of the biggest stars in snowboarding and the Winter Olympics. Her quest to make history by winning a third straight gold medal is a major storyline heading into the 2026 Games, and her strong qualifying performance despite a recent injury shows she remains at the top of her sport.

The details

In the qualifying round, Kim dropped in the middle of the pack and immediately separated herself from the rest of the field. Her run included a massive jump of 13 feet over the edge of the halfpipe, as well as a technical 1080-degree spin while riding backward. Kim said she was hoping to link together some additional tricks on her second run but pulled back to save herself for the finals, where she plans to go even bigger.

• Kim suffered a shoulder injury during a training run in Switzerland four weeks ago.
• Kim returned to the halfpipe only two weeks ago, marking her first meaningful run since last March.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Kim will compete in the Olympic halfpipe finals on Thursday night, where she will attempt to become the first snowboarder to win three straight gold medals.