Choi Ga-on Overcomes Two Falls to Win Gold: "Competitive Spirit Beat Fear"

Choi Ga-on (Sehwa Girls' High School), who delivered South Korea's first gold medal at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in women's snowboard halfpipe, said "The competitive spirit I developed while growing up with my older teammates was a great source of strength in overcoming fear."

At a press conference held at Korea House in Milan, Italy, on February 14 (Korea time), Choi shared details about the competition and episodes following her medal win. In the women's snowboard halfpipe final held at Livigno Snow Park in Italy on the morning of February 13, Choi scored 90.25 points to defeat Chloe Kim of the United States, who scored 88.00 points, claiming the top spot.

Born in 2008, Choi showed her teenage side, saying "When I return to Korea, I plan to have a pajama party with my friends." To young athletes aspiring to become snowboarders, she advised: "When I was young, I rode snowboard just for fun, but as I approached the Olympic stage, the pressure and tension grew. Still, I tried my best to enjoy it. Enjoying snowboarding is what matters most."

Choi faced a desperate situation after falling consecutively in her first and second runs. However, in her third and final run, instead of attempting high-difficulty tricks of 1080 degrees or more, she executed 900-degree and 720-degree rotations, completing her run and earning a high score of 90.25 points to complete a dramatic comeback.

Regarding the situation after her falls, Choi recalled: "If I had been carried off on a stretcher, I would have had to withdraw from the competition. I asked for a moment, then tried to move my feet by putting strength into my toes first. Fortunately, I was able to compete again." She added: "During the third run, I didn't feel nervous. I started thinking only about my techniques. I competed with the mindset that I had to complete my performance. I was in pain and it was snowing heavily, but I succeeded, and tears came from the overwhelming emotion."

With this gold medal, Choi became the first South Korean skier to win gold at the Winter Olympics. She also broke the record for youngest Olympic gold medalist in this event, previously set by Chloe Kim at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. "I achieved my dream at an early age. It's an honor," she said. "I won't set distant goals. I'm focusing on tomorrow. I want to work harder and become a better rider than I am now." When asked about her future goals, she said: "I wasn't able to show my best performance at this Olympics. I want to improve my techniques and show a more perfect performance. I also need to work on managing my nerves during competitions."