Chloe Kim appeared to be in a bullish mood after qualifying for the women’s halfpipe final in first place. The Team USA snowboarder is already a two-time Olympic champion in halfpipe and is looking to win her third straight gold medal in the discipline.
Kim enjoyed a strong run in qualifying on Wednesday, finishing comfortably ahead of Japan’s Sara Shimizu and compatriot Maddie Mastro. The 25-year-old’s score of 90.25 in her first run at the Livigno Snow Park was enough for her to secure her spot in the final.
Chloe Kim Brushes Off Claims of Rust at 2026 Winter Olympics
Kim was asked after her impressive qualifying run whether she had noticed any signs of rust, given that this was her first event of the season. But the California native was quick to rule that out.
Chloe Kim after topping the field here in women’s halfpipe qualifying — her first competition of the entire season: “Rust? No rust. I’m not rusty. I’ve been snowboarding for 22 years … I might be better at snowboarding than I am at walking.”
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) February 11, 2026
“Rust? No rust. I’m not rusty. I’ve been snowboarding for 22 years … I might be better at snowboarding than I am at walking,” Kim said via the Athletic’s Zak Keefer.
There were some fears that Kim might be forced to miss the 2026 Winter Olympics after suffering a shoulder injury last month. But she appeared to be in fine form in the halfpipe qualifying event.
Afterwards, she also told Olympics.com, “I feel good. Happy to be here. There is a definitely a lot of pressure, but I do think that the Olympics are so special because we have so much support globally.”
Kim will now have her sights set on clinching the gold medal in the halfpipe final, scheduled to take place on Feb. 12 at 7:30 p.m. CET (1:30 p.m. ET).
2026 Winter Olympics Women’s Halfpipe Final Field
In addition to Kim, the field for the women’s halfpipe final at the 2026 Winter Olympics also includes Sara and Mastro. Shimizu finished second in qualifying with a score of 87.50, while Mastro recorded a score of 86.00.
Other big names in the hunt include Rise Kudo of Japan, Cai Xuetong of China, Choi Ga-on of South Korea, Queralt Castellet of Spain, Canada’s Elizabeth Hosking, Japan’s Sena Tomita, Team USA’s Bea Kim, Japan’s Mitsuki Ono, and China’s Wu Shaotong.
MORE: Chloe Kim Pens Emotional Message As She Touches Down in Livigno for Winter Olympics 2026
Kim will no doubt be the favorite in the final as she looks to complete a hat-trick of Olympic gold medals in the halfpipe event. But she could face tough competition, with Tomita – the current leader in the Snow League standings – and Shimizu – the reigning X Games champion – among the possible contenders.
The women’s halfpipe final will feature all 12 athletes making three runs. Fans in the United States can watch the live coverage of this and every other event at the 2026 Winter Olympics live on NBC and the Peacock streaming service.
