2026 Winter Olympics: Chloe Kim’s golden three-peat in doubt after ‘silliest fall’ in training
Two-time gold medallist Chloe Kim has dislocated her shoulder during training in Switzerland and could struggle to be fit for Italy Games
American snowboard star Chloe Kim will have an MRI on Friday after dislocating her shoulder in the “silliest fall” in training, threatening her chance to win a third straight gold medal at next month’s Winter Olympics in Italy.
Kim, who has dominated her sport for nearly a decade, posted video of the accident in Laax, Switzerland, earlier this week as she practised ahead of a World Cup event there next weekend.
The 25-year-old landed a manoeuvre cleanly but lost her edge shortly afterward, sliding awkwardly across the pipe and into the wall.
Kim did not say which shoulder she hurt and that she was “trying to stay optimistic” about competing at the Olympics but “I don’t have much clarity now”.
“The positive thing is, I have range, I’m not in that much pain, I just don’t want it to keep popping out, which has happened,” she said. “I’m just trying to stay really optimistic. I feel really good about where my snowboarding is at right now, so I know the minute I get cleared and I’m good to go, I should be fine.”
Kim’s absence would deprive the Winter Games of one of its biggest names and one of its best storylines.