Chloe Kim wasted no time reminding the field why her name still carries weight in Olympic halfpipe. In her first qualifier at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, the two-time gold medalist posted a 90.25 on Wednesday, grabbing the top spot and setting the tone for Thursday’s final on February 12. The 25-year-old arrived in Italy with more than expectation on her shoulders. Just weeks ago, she was dealing with a torn labrum. Yet there she was, floating above the pipe with her usual control and clarity, riding as if the pain belonged to someone else. A third straight Olympic gold would make her the first snowboarder to achieve that feat. The stakes are real. So is the resolve.
Chloe Kim playfully calls out boyfriend Myles Garrett over unexpected Olympics mix-up
Kim’s 90.25 did not come with visible strain. She attacked the pipe with speed, linked her tricks cleanly, and landed with the poise of someone who has lived on this stage for a decade. That consistency explains why she has stayed at a world-class level for so long. Still, context matters. Competing at the Olympics is hard enough. Doing it while nursing a shoulder injury demands a different level of toughness.Close to the course, Myles Garrett watched through a camera lens instead of a face mask. The Cleveland Browns star flew to Italy shortly after winning the 2025 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. There were no quarterbacks to chase here. Just one run to capture.“I got her whole run,” Garrett said, according to ESPN. “She’s amazing.”Garrett recently set the NFL single-season sack record, but in Italy he seemed comfortable playing the supporting role. As Kim eyes Thursday’s final, his confidence in her did not waver.“She’s going to do it,” Garrett said. “She’s the best.”
Chloe Kim (Getty Images and Instagram)
After qualifying, social media lit up with photos of the couple near the course. Kim reposted one on her Instagram story February 11. In the image, she touches Garrett’s face mid-conversation. Her caption read, “me scolding him for not bringing the sunscreen I bought him 😂😂”.The moment was light. The mission is not. Kim has already built a legacy most riders would envy. Now she stands one final away from adding a chapter that could redefine Olympic snowboarding history.