Chloe Kim Falls Short of Olympic Three-Peat, Passes Torch to South Korean Protégé

Beijing — Snowboarding superstar Chloe Kim’s bid for an unprecedented third consecutive Olympic half-pipe gold came to an end on Friday night, but the 23-year-old American left the mountain with a symbolic victory: the emergence of a new South Korean talent she has long mentored.

Kim, whose back-to-back titles in PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 elevated her to icon status, could not secure the elusive three-peat. Yet in the final rotation of the night, 16-year-old Lee Seo-yoon of South Korea stomped a switch double cork 1080 to leap onto the podium and claim silver, instantly becoming the face of the sport’s next generation.

The moment carried extra resonance: Kim has quietly coached Lee during off-season camps in Mammoth Lakes, California, gifting boards, sharing training tips and inviting the teenager to ride alongside her private pipe. As Lee’s final score flashed above 90 points, Kim skated over, wrapped the younger rider in a bear hug and lifted her off the snow in celebration.

“She’s the future,” Kim said simply, eyes still wet from the emotion of the night. “Tonight was her turn to shine.”

With the torch passed, Kim left the half-pipe to a standing ovation, her legacy secure even as a new chapter begins.