Choi Ga-on, a 17-year-old Korean half pipe snowboarder, won the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan for the first time in Korean history. She achieved this cornerstone event with a score of 90.25 out of a hundred in her final run, which happened after consecutive mistakes in her first two runs. 

“Her performance was really inspiring because it showed her strong mentality,” Seungmin Jeong (12), Olympics spectator, said. “More than her medal, the determination and resilience of her was inspiring for the spectators.” 

Choi Ga-on’s first attempt ended in a devastating fall while landing a cab 1080 stalefish, a 1080-degree frontside spin. The mishap made Choi consider withdrawing from the competition entirely, but encouragement from her coach inspired her to move forward. There was also a minor fall in Choi’s second run, but she ended the third run flawlessly, placing first. As only the single highest-scoring run of riders counted towards the aggregate score, Choi’s final run outweighed her earlier falls.

“It was very touching how she overcame her fear and ended up winning the gold medal,” Gloria Kim (11), sports enthusiast, said. “Her affectionate interaction with Chloe Kim was also very heartwarming.” 

Choi Ga-on’s shared friendship with Chloe Kim, the American defending champion for half pipe snowboarding, warmed the hearts of many during the event. Kim’s sportsmanship inspired viewers globally as she encouraged Choi to push forward after her fall during the first run, and approached Choi as the first one to celebrate her opponent’s ultimate gold medal victory  The bond between the two athletes dates back a long time; Choi Ga-on mentions how Chloe Kim was her role model, while Chloe Kim mentions how Choi Ga-on was like her baby. 

The following interviews of Choi Ga-on after the Olympics revealed that she had three fractured bones while doing her third jump. With multiple hardships that Choi Ga-on faced as an athlete of a relatively unrecognized sport, her perseverance and resilience shed light on.