Chloe Kim reacts after "unreal" snowboard halfpipe gold at Beijing 2022 to become two-time champ
All the reaction from repeat champion Kim after she claimed a second Winter Olympic Games halfpipe title for Team USA. Kim won a fierce final battle at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou.
Snowboard
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 (10 February).
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: I'm looking forward to everything that's to come
The Team USA star scored 94.00 in the first run, which proved enough for the crown, despite having a bad training session on the morning of the competition.
“I had the worst practice, ever. I probably landed my run twice when I’m used to landing it eight times, normally, and so that puts you in a weird headspace. It felt so inconsistent.
"I didn’t want to feel all that pressure of having to land my first safety run (in competition). I overflowed with emotion when I was able to land it on the first go, and it opened up a lot of opportunity for me to go try something new (in her second and third runs)."
She fell on her following two runs, attempting historic cab 1260's.
“I just learned those pretty recently, and I’ve been doing quite bit of them, but I haven’t really done them in this halfpipe, so I was curious to see what would happen. Definitely didn’t go my way, but it’s OK.
“I did it once in practice, and it went well. We’ll try it another day.”
Kim also embraced freestyle ski gold medallist Ailing (Eileen) Gu at the side of the competition area, and the Chinese freeskier gave the American encouragement during the competition.
“That was mostly a lot of screaming and a lot of excitement (laughs). Eileen is such a sweetheart, and I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her and becoming her friend over the last couple of years. I’m so proud to know her and so excited to support her in her next two events. She’s crazy!”
"My family is texting me every day. I mean, it sucks that they're not all out here, but I can feel their love from thousands of miles away," Kim added.
"I'm excited to go home and see my family and my dog and my boyfriend, and just even out this goggle tan a little bit, but I'm looking forward to everything that's to come."
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."
Where to watch Chloe Kim Beijing 2022 action and replays
From the Opening Ceremony to athlete action, here's where and how you can watch the Winter Games in your region via the Official Olympic Broadcast Partners