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MILAN, Feb. 9 (Yonhap) -- Korean American snowboard icon and two-time Olympic champion Chloe Kim may only be 25 herself, but seeing South Korean snowboarder Choi Gaon develop into a viable medal contender at 17 has made Kim feel old.

"I love Gaon so much. I've known her since she was a very small child. Seeing her at this big stage is such a full-circle moment," Kim said at a press conference for the U.S. snowboard halfpipe team for the Milan-Cortina Winter Games at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, some 230 kilometers north of Milan.

American snowboarder Chloe Kim speaks at a press conference at the Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 9, 2026, in this Associated Press photo. (Yonhap)

"I definitely feel old, but it's really cool to see how much she's progressed," Kim continued. "I met her when she literally started halfpipe snowboarding. Sometimes, it feels like I'm seeing a mirror reflection of myself and my family. It's really so cool to see another Korean girl out here killing it. We're seeing a big shift to Asians being dominant in snow sports. I've had aunts telling me that I shouldn't snowboard, get a real career, focus on school. It's cool to see that shift happening."

Kim was Choi's age when she won the first of her two Olympic gold medals in the women's halfpipe at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games. Kim became the youngest woman to win an Olympic snowboard gold medal then.

Kim defended her title four years later in Beijing and will now try to become the first snowboarder to win three Olympic gold medals in a row.

Kim's pursuit of history took a worrisome turn in January, when she suffered a torn labrum in her left shoulder during training. Other than getting into a qualifying round at an International Ski and Snowboard Federation World Cup event before pulling out in December, the Olympics in northern Italy will be Kim's first competition of the season. Meanwhile, Choi has won three World Cup titles this season to emerge as a threat to Kim's Olympic throne.

Chloe Kim of the United States trains for the Winter Olympics at Livigno Snow Park in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 8, 2026, in this Associated Press photo. (Yonhap)

"It's kind of crazy that my first of the season is the Olympics, but we'll figure it out. Day 1 practice last night was amazing, had so much fun," said Kim, who got back on the board about two weeks ago. "Shoulder's feeling good. I have a shoulder brace, and it's very securely taped, which kind of sucks at the end of riding because I have to rip the tape off and it's awful. But it's worth it."

Kim said her shoulder injury has somehow been a blessing in disguise.

"In a funny way, it's made my riding better. I literally can't move this arm as much as I normally would," she said. "Once we're in there, focusing on what we want to do, my mind goes completely blank. I'm not thinking about my shoulder. Just thinking about what I'm trying to accomplish."

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