Chloe Kim’s Olympic three-peat bid in doubt after dislocated shoulder | Winter Olympics 2026

Chloe Kim’s quest for an unprecedented third consecutive Olympic gold medal has been thrown into uncertainty after the American snowboard star dislocated her shoulder during a training session in Switzerland.

Kim, the dominant force in women’s half-pipe snowboarding for nearly a decade, revealed her injury Thursday, sharing video of the scare-inducing fall. The injury occurred while Kim was training in Laax, a regular World Cup venue and a key pre-Olympic stop on the tour. The 25-year-old pulled off a maneuver cleanly, but lost her advantage shortly after, sliding awkwardly over the pipe and into the wall.

With the Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina less than a month away, Kim said she still doesn’t know if she will be able to compete. An MRI scheduled for Friday is expected to determine the severity of the injury and the timetable for his return.

“I don’t have a lot of clarity right now,” Kim said, adding that she is doing everything she can to remain hopeful while awaiting medical results.

Despite the dislocation, Kim said the shoulder did not cause her significant pain and she retained her range of motion, a potentially encouraging sign. Her main concern, she explained Thursday, is instability, noting that the joint has popped out more than once since the initial injury.

Kim pointed out that her form on snow had been good before the fall, fueling optimism that she could return quickly if doctors cleared it. “I feel really good about where my snowboarding is at,” she said. “Once I’m cleared, I know I’ll be ready.”

The injury comes at a pivotal time in Kim’s career. Already a two-time Olympic champion, she is attempting to become the first woman to win three consecutive Olympic gold medals in snowboarding halfpipe, a feat that would further cement her status as one of the sport’s all-time greats.

Kim burst onto the Olympic scene at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, winning gold at just 17 years old, then defended his title four years later in Beijing. She secured her spot on the U.S. Olympic team for Milano Cortina last spring after winning the 2025 world championship and finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the world.

In a caption accompanying the video she posted to Instagram, Kim described going through “waves of emotions” since the fall, acknowledging both frustration and determination. She said her immediate focus was rest and rehabilitation, with the goal of returning as soon as possible.

“The only thing I can do is rest/do everything in my power to come back as soon as possible,” she said, adding “ps, I think I’m getting old.”