Chloe Kim's quest for an unprecedented third Olympic gold medal in a row is in doubt after the American snowboarding star dislocated her shoulder while training in Switzerland.
Kim, a dominant force in women's snowboard halfpipe for nearly a decade, opened up about the injury on Thursday, sharing a video of the fall that caused panic. The injury occurred while Kim was training in Laax, a regular World Championships site and a key pre-Olympic stop on the circuit. The 25-year-old executed the maneuver cleanly but lost her advantage soon after, sliding awkwardly down a pipe and crashing into a wall.
From Milano Cortina Winter Olympics With less than a month left, Kim said she is still unsure if she will be able to compete. An MRI scheduled for Friday is expected to determine the severity of the injury and the timing of its return.
“I don’t have much clarity right now,” Kim said, adding that she is doing her best to remain hopeful while awaiting medical results.
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Despite the dislocation, Kim said the shoulder is not causing her significant pain and that she has maintained her range of motion, a potentially encouraging sign. On Thursday, she explained that her main concern was instability, noting that the joint has popped out more than once since the first injury.
Kim stressed that her form on the snow was good before the fall, which gives her optimism that she can return quickly if doctors clear her. “I feel really good where I snowboard,” she said. “As soon as I'm acquitted, I know I'll be ready.”
The injury came at a pivotal time in Kim's career. Already a two-time Olympian, she is attempting to become the first woman to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in snowboard halfpipe, further cementing her status as one of the sport's greatest athletes.
Kim burst onto the Olympic scene at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, winning gold at just 17 years old and defending her title in Beijing four years later. She secured a spot on the US Olympic team. Milan Cortina was ranked No. 1 in the world last spring after winning the 2025 World Cup and ending the season.
In the caption of a video she posted on Instagram, Kim described how she experienced “waves of emotion” after the fall, acknowledging both disappointment and determination. She said her first priority is rest and rehabilitation with the goal of returning as soon as possible.
“The only thing I can do is rest/do everything I can to get back as soon as possible,” she said, adding, “PS, I think I’m getting old.”
