Injured but Unshaken, Chloe Kim Dominates Olympic Qualifiers

Chloe Kim injured the labrum in her left shoulder 34 days ago. She didn’t return to snowboarding until two weeks ago and hadn’t completed a competition in nearly 11 months. However, when you’re considered the greatest of all time, losing your edge doesn’t necessarily apply.

“Loss of edge? Not an issue. I’ve been at this for 22 years,” Kim said with a smile on Wednesday morning at Livigno Snow Park, where the 25-year-old American led a field of 24 women in the qualifying round for the Olympic halfpipe final. “I might be more skilled at snowboarding than I am at walking.”

Her highly anticipated comeback did nothing to change that perception. In just 29 seconds — the time it took to complete her first run — she reminded everyone at the Milan-Cortina Games why she is regarded as the greatest female snowboarder in history.

Kim flawlessly executed a cab 1080 and a frontside 900, outscoring her competitors by nearly seven points. By the end of the qualifying round, her score of 90.25 remained the highest, almost three points ahead of the next competitor. Among those watching were her boyfriend, reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, and Shaun White, the legendary American snowboarder whose record of three Olympic halfpipe gold medals Kim is aiming to match on Thursday.

And keep in mind, this was only a preview. Like most elite athletes, Kim is saving her most difficult tricks for the final.

“I’ve landed every piece of my finals run; I just haven’t put them all together yet,” she said. “I’ll be ready to do that on the big day.”

Perhaps the most encouraging sign in Kim’s pursuit of history — no snowboarder, male or female, has ever won three consecutive Olympic halfpipe gold medals — was her complete absence of visible discomfort. There were no signs of hesitation in the air, nor concern about her injured shoulder. Her only complaint so far: how long it takes to remove the tape beneath the brace she will wear during the Games.

Pain hasn’t been an issue, she said, nor has the brace significantly limited her arm movement while airborne.

“She’s been really well-behaved,” Kim joked about her shoulder, adding that she has worked diligently with her physical therapist and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard team’s medical staff to strengthen it. “We haven’t had any setbacks.”

Little Kim does surprises her teammates or rivals anymore, yet the ease with which she advanced to the final — after a lengthy break and with an injured shoulder — impressed many. A shoulder dislocation is no minor setback for an elite snowboarder. A successful run requires full-body coordination, and when a rider soars 20 or 30 feet above the icy halfpipe wall, the arms act like wings, helping stabilize the body against gravity.

At the very least, they offer reassurance.

“It’s a major concern,” said Bea Kim, the 19-year-old American competing in her first Olympic halfpipe event.

“You have to be relaxed up there,” said Germany’s Leilani Ettel, who finished 13th, just short of qualifying for the final. “It’s important to use your arms effectively.”

Kim’s challenge is not just physical but mental. The brace she wears slightly restricts mobility, which some snowboarders say can create uncertainty. Like elite skiers, snowboarders must compete with absolute confidence — even bravado — particularly when maneuvering in the air.

Maddy Schaffrick, Kim’s teammate, suffered a similar injury to her right shoulder in December before earning her first Olympic team selection. At first, the injury dominated her thoughts and disrupted her performance.

“Focusing on it drained my energy and held me back,” Schaffrick said. But once she stopped fixating on the pain — convincing herself she wasn’t injured — her performance improved dramatically.

This mental battle explains why many top skiers and snowboarders try to “zone out” during competition, avoiding thoughts about the risks involved. That risk feels even greater when their bodies aren’t at full strength.

“Pain typically isn’t the primary issue. It’s more about instinctively protecting yourself,” said Dr. Kevin Stone, an orthopedic surgeon and former physician for the U.S. Ski Team. “The brain wants to prevent the arm from popping out of the joint again. It’s about the mind-body connection and spatial awareness. That awareness shifts when you’re subconsciously protecting yourself from falls.”

In simpler terms: hesitation.

“The danger is that if she falls again or swings her arm forcefully to regain balance, she could dislocate it again,” Stone said. “And if that happens, there’s a significant risk of further tearing.”

Such an injury would immediately end Kim’s Olympic campaign.

“Everyone feels fear while riding,” Ettel said. “Especially when you’re injured — which is almost always the case for us. Doubts creep in: ‘I could fall. I could get hurt again.’”

Spain’s Queralt Castellet, who won silver behind Kim in Beijing in 2022 and is competing in her sixth consecutive Winter Olympics, said it’s rare for world-class snowboarders to compete without any injuries.

“When we feel good, we almost get suspicious — because it’s not normal,” she said. “You have to try to ignore the injuries and not let them control your thoughts, but it’s extremely difficult.”

Kim’s dominance isn’t based solely on physical talent. Fellow athletes describe her as one of the most mentally resilient competitors at the Games — calm under pressure and unfazed by obstacles. That mindset has her on the verge of history Thursday night.

“She’s faced challenges and criticism, yet she finds a way to confront her fears, move forward, and trust herself,” Ettel said. “Watching her is truly inspiring.”

Source : https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7038240/2026/02/11/chloe-kim-womens-snowboard-halfpipe-qualification-2026-winter-olympics/