Teen Snowboarder Choi Ga-on to Receive $6,800 Omega Watch After First Gold

Choi Ga-on (18, Sehwa Girls' High School), who claimed South Korea's first individual gold medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, will receive an Omega wristwatch valued at approximately 9.5 million won ($6,800).

According to sports industry sources on the 13th, Omega had announced it would present an Olympic edition timepiece to the first Korean athlete to win an individual gold medal at this Games.

The watch Omega is gifting to Choi is the "Speedmaster 38mm Olympic Edition Timepiece," priced at 9.5 million won on Omega's official website.

The model was released to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Omega serving as the official timekeeper for the Winter Olympics. The stainless steel chronograph features a white dial and blue ice pattern evocative of winter. The caseback is engraved with the Milan-Cortina Games emblem and the Olympic rings.

"This presentation holds special significance as it honors the pinnacle of the Olympic spirit—excellence, precision, and dedication to sport—while celebrating the single athlete who reached the top first," Omega said.

Omega has been presenting Olympic edition watches to South Korea's first gold medalists since the 2012 London Olympics. Shooting athlete Jin Jong-oh, who won gold in the 10m air pistol, was the first recipient.

At the 2016 Rio Olympics, men's archery team members Kim Woo-jin, Ku Bon-chan, and Lee Seung-yoon received watches. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, fencer Oh Sang-uk (men's sabre) and shooter Oh Ye-jin (women's 10m air pistol) were honored with the edition timepieces.

The tradition has continued at Winter Olympics as well. At the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, speed skater Lee Sang-hwa became the first winter sports athlete to receive the watch after winning gold in the women's 500m. At the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, short track skaters Hwang Dae-heon and Choi Min-jeong each received watches as the first male and female gold medalists respectively.

Choi Ga-on scored 90.25 points in the women's snowboard halfpipe final at Livigno Snow Park in Italy on the 13th (Korea time), defeating Chloe Kim (88.00) and Mitsuki Ono (85.00) to claim gold.

Immediately after her victory, Choi said, "I'm incredibly happy that my first Olympic medal is a gold. I can't believe it. I'm also honored to have won South Korea's first gold medal of these Games."