Two-time defending Olympic snowboarding champion Chloe Kim suffered a dislocated shoulder during a training session, putting her quest for a third consecutive gold medal in jeopardy.
Kim, who won gold in the women’s halfpipe in South Korea in 2018 as a 17-year-old and brought home another top medal from China four years later, is attempting to become the first action-sports athlete to capture gold in three consecutive Winter Games.
On Thursday, the effervescent 25-year-old posted a video of her mishap, calling it “the silliest fall.” The incident took place in Laax, Switzerland earlier this week as Kim prepared for the Laax Open, a pivotal tune-up event for the Olympics next month in Italy.
“The positive thing is, I have range, I’m not in that much pain, I just don’t want it to keep popping out, which has happened,” said Kim. “I’m just trying to stay really optimistic. I feel really good about where my snowboarding is at right now, so I know the minute I get cleared and I’m good to go, I should be fine.”
She is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Friday.
Kim also fell in warmups, injuring her shoulder, in December before the finals in Copper Mountain, Colo., but was heading into Laax in good health.
Despite the lack of competition leading up to the Olympics, Kim is unlikely to rush her return.
“It should be fine. I’m just hoping that it doesn’t take too long, but I’m going to be chilling for the next little while,” Kim said.
–Field Level Media
