In the shivering silence of the Italian Alps on February 12, 2026, the torch was not just carried it was snatched. As the world watched the Livigno Snow Park during the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, a 17-year-old from Seoul, South Korea, did the unthinkable. Gaon Choi didn’t just win a gold medal; she ended the decade-long reign of her idol, Chloe Kim, and became the youngest snowboarding champion in Olympic history.
Gaon’s story is a whirlwind of record-breaking debuts, a spine-shattering injury, and a comeback that defied every medical and athletic probability. She is the first South Korean athlete to ever win a gold medal in a snow sport, a feat that has instantly transformed her into a national icon and the new face of global snowboarding.
Gaon Choi is the first South Korean athlete to ever win a gold medal in a snow sport
The Girl Who Chose the Board over the Blades
Like many Korean children, Gaon’s first dream was shaped by the “Queen of Ice,” Yuna Kim. She began as a figure skater, chasing the grace and precision of the rink. However, the trajectory of her life shifted at age seven when her father, an avid snowboarder, introduced her to the mountain.
While her siblings were given boards to learn on, Gaon was initially told she was too small and was given skis. In a moment of stubbornness that would later define her competitive spirit, she cried until her father bought her a $50 board, one that was actually taller than she was. Within a month, her talent was so undeniable that she was enrolled in a halfpipe camp. By the time she was nine, Gaon wasn’t just riding; she was “flying like a bird,” as she famously describes the sensation of hitting the lip of a 22-foot pipe.
Following the Blueprint: The Mammoth Connection
The connection between Gaon Choi and Chloe Kim is more than a rivalry; it is a mentorship. Years before they faced off in Italy, their fathers became friends. Recognizing Gaon’s rare potential, Chloe’s father, Jong Jin Kim, advised the Choi family to bring Gaon to Mammoth Mountain, California.
There, Gaon joined the Mammoth Snowboard Elite Team, training under Ben Wisner the same coach who guided Chloe Kim to her legendary status. For years, Gaon was the “shadow” in the pipe, watching Chloe’s every move, mirroring her work ethic, and eventually, beginning to break her records.
“She’s like looking in a mirror—seeing my younger self,” Chloe Kim remarked in 2026. “It’s a full-circle moment.”
Breaking the “Unbreakable” Records
Gaon Choi didn’t just enter the professional circuit; she exploded onto it.
- 2023 X Games Aspen: At just 14 years and 2 months old, Gaon won gold in the SuperPipe. In doing so, she broke Chloe Kim’s record as the youngest X Games halfpipe champion by nearly seven months.
- World Cup Debut: In December 2023, she won her very first senior World Cup event at Copper Mountain, defeating a field of seasoned veterans.
By the start of 2024, Gaon was the heavy favorite for the Youth Olympic Games in Gangwon, her home turf. But the mountain is a fickle stage.
The Darkest Year: A Fractured Dream
In early 2024, during a practice session at the Laax Open in Switzerland, disaster struck. Gaon miscalculated a Cab 1080 and landed with a force that fractured her back. The injury was catastrophic for an athlete whose entire career relies on the flexibility of the spine.
She underwent major surgery and was sidelined for an entire year. She missed the Youth Olympics in South Korea, a heartbreak she admitted was so painful she couldn’t even bring herself to watch the broadcast. For months, Gaon lived a quiet, stationary life in Korea, wondering if she would ever ride again.
“I grew bored,” she told reporters. “That’s when I realized my life would only be complete if I go back to snowboard.”
The Miracle of Livigno: The 2026 Olympic Final
The 2025-26 season was Gaon’s “revenge tour.” She won three consecutive World Cups leading up to the Olympics, but the ultimate test remained: the Olympic final against a healthy Chloe Kim.
The final in Livigno began like a nightmare. On her first run, Gaon clipped the lip of the pipe and took a horrific fall, remaining motionless for several minutes. The medical team rushed in for a concussion check. She missed her second run as she recovered in the medical tent.
With only one run left and sitting in last place, Gaon Choi dropped into the pipe.
| Trick | Rotation | Execution |
| Switch Backside 900 | 900° (2.5 spins) | Massive amplitude; perfectly clean landing. |
| Cab 720 | 720° (2 spins) | Seamless transition into the next hit. |
| Frontside 900 | 900° (2.5 spins) | Melon grab with extended hold. |
| Backside 900 | 900° (2.5 spins) | Stalefish grab, maintaining high speed. |
| Frontside 720 | 720° (2 spins) | Indy grab to finish the run. |
The score flashed: 90.25.
It was enough to move her into first. When Chloe Kim fell on her final attempt to reclaim the lead, Gaon Choi collapsed into tears of disbelief. At 17 years and 101 days old, she was the new Olympic Queen.
A Legacy in the Making
Gaon Choi’s victory is more than a personal win; it is a cultural shift. In a country where winter sports have historically been dominated by short-track speed skating, Gaon has brought “shred culture” to the Korean mainstream.
She is now the “Heir Apparent” to the throne, carrying the torch for the next generation of Asian athletes who are currently dominating the podiums of snow sports. As of 2026, Gaon is no longer just “the next Chloe Kim.”
She is Gaon Choi the girl who broke her back, broke the records, and finally broke the ceiling for South Korean snowboarding.
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