Chloe Kim "not surprised" she fell in Beijing 2022 snowboard halfpipe qualifying but "stoked" to make the final
Team USA star and defending champion fell on the second of her two qualifying runs in the Winter Olympic women's halfpipe on 9 February at Genting Snow Park.
Snowboard
Chloe Kim began her quest to defend the Olympic snowboard women's halfpipe gold medal with a mixed qualifying performance at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games on Wednesday (9 February).
Kim scored 87.75 to top the leaderboard in the first of two women's snowboard halfpipe qualifying rounds at the Genting Snow Park in the Zhangjiakou mountains, and was visibly delighted after getting her Games competition underway.
It proved to be the top score in the entire qualifying event on the Secret Garden course, and enough to comfortably book her spot in the final.
Kim fell in her second run, scoring just 8.75 but was still smiling afterwards and appeared uninjured.
After her qualification was confirmed, Kim said "I'm really stoked on my first run, I honestly just wanted to take the second run and try a different line, I've never practiced it before, so not surprised that I fell."
"It's awesome being back here in Asia. The fans are awesome," added the 21-year old, who was also cheered on by a group of fans with flags of Korea, where her parents are from.
"Tomorrow is our final, so it'll be a lot of fun. [I'm] just focusing on that, focusing on the run I want to do tomorrow, visualising it tonight, and hoping I'll be able to put it to my feet."
The top 12 of the 22 competitors in the qualification event booked a place in Thursday's final. Fellow American Maddie Mastro, a two-time world championship medallist, finished 13th and won't compete for the medals.
Kim became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold when she claimed the PyeongChang 2018 title for Team USA as a 17-year-old.
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Chloe KIM
Chloe Kim's snowboard halfpipe schedule at the Winter Olympics in Beijing
Wednesday 9th February 2022
Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Run 1 of 2.
9:30 - 10:19 (Beijing time)
Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Run 2 of 2. - Session complete. Kim qualified for the final.
10:21 - 11:10 (Beijing time)
Thursday 10th February 2022
Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 1 of 3.
09:30 - 09:56 (Beijing time)
Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 2 of 3.
09:58 - 10:23 (Beijing time)
Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Final Run 3 of 3.
10:25 - 10:55 (Beijing time)
Where to watch Chloe Kim compete
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