Winter Olympics 2026: Chloe Kim denied third gold medal in figure skating By Choi Ja Eun

Italy’s Olympic gold medal represents the fulfillment of the potential of Choi, a name that has been on the lips of many in the figure skating world for some time but has now leapt into the global consciousness.

In 2023, when he was just 14 years old, Choi won X Games superpipe gold, breaking Kim’s record as the youngest rider to win the title.

That same year, she won her first World Cup tournament, but was later ruled out of the remainder of that season after fracturing her back.

However, in the current Olympic season, she has confirmed her ability by winning every World Cup tournament she has competed in while participating in the Games.

She only finished sixth in qualifying on Wednesday as Kim topped the list with a score of 90.25 – the exact score that would see Choi win the gold medal just over 24 hours later.

But its final run appeared to be over on its first run when it hit the lip of the icy tube and flipped onto its center, lying motionless for some time.

With heavy snow falling, she eventually fell herself and then stunned the watching crowd with a stunning third round, with her coach bursting into tears when he realized what Choi had achieved.

“It’s the kind of story you only see in dreams, so I’m very happy,” Choi said.

“During the final, it was very difficult mentally. But now I am the happiest.

“My knee is a little bad, but I feel like I’m getting through it all with happiness.”

She later said: “After the first round, I cried so hard, I thought maybe I should leave the Olympics here.

“I cried because I thought I wouldn’t be able to compete. But the thought kept coming to me: ‘You can do this. You have to keep going.’ That’s what pushed me forward.”