Chloe Kim Shares Her 2026 Winter Olympics Plans Following Injury Setback
UPDATE — 1/15/26 at 12:26 p.m. ET: Team USA snowboarder Chloe Kim has announced she is “good to go” for the 2026 Winter Olympics, despite recently suffering a torn labrum.
On January 13, Kim, 25, shared an update with her fans through a video on Instagram, where she disclosed her diagnosis.
“The bad news is that I tore my labrum,” she explained. “I’m not surprised, but it’s confirmed. The good news is…there are two ways to do it, and my method is less severe than the other, so I’m really happy about that.”
She added, “I’m obviously disappointed that I can’t snowboard until just before the Olympics, which is tough. I haven’t had nearly as much training time as I would like, but that’s okay.”
However, she remains optimistic about her participation in the Milano Cortina games, with women’s snowboarding starting on February 8.
“I’m super grateful that I will be ready for the Olympics,” Kim noted. “I get to wear this really cool shoulder brace, which I should be wearing right now. It’s not the most comfortable.”
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Chloe Kim has secured gold in the women’s snowboard halfpipe at the last two Olympic Games, but her chances for a third consecutive win are now uncertain, as detailed in a video she posted on Instagram.
“I hate to make this video,” an emotional 25-year-old Kim shared with her followers on January 8. “But I felt it was essential to inform you. I’ve been here for a few days, currently in Switzerland, and on my second day of training, I had a silly fall.”
The video then transitioned to footage of Kim on the halfpipe, where she fell while approaching the top of the ramp and slid back down.
“That led to me dislocating my shoulder,” she disclosed. “Right now, I don’t feel I have full clarity since I haven’t had an MRI yet, but it’s scheduled for tomorrow.”
Kim stated that once she receives her MRI results, she will have a clearer understanding of her recovery timeline. With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo only a month away, her status for this major event is now unclear.
“I’m not in much pain,” she continued. “I just want to prevent it from popping out again, which has happened. So, I’m focusing on staying optimistic.”
She reassured her followers that she is eager to resume training as soon as she receives medical clearance.
“I feel confident about my snowboarding, so I know that as soon as I’m cleared, I’ll be fine,” Kim stated. “I just hope it doesn’t take too long.”
She concluded, “But I’ll be taking it easy for a while, so if anyone has suggestions on how to pass the time, please share.”
In the caption of her video, Kim expressed her emotions regarding her setback.
“Trying to stay positive during these tough moments,” she wrote. “I’m experiencing so many emotions that I literally have a migraine. The only thing I can do is rest and do everything possible to return as soon as I can. Thank you all for your support on this wild journey! Will keep you updated 🙂 p.s. I think I’m getting old.”
As news of Kim’s injury spread, fellow Olympians rallied to show their support in her comments.
“Hey Chloe, if you see this, remember it’s not over until it’s over! 👊🏻,” wrote British Olympic cyclist Charlotte Worthington. “I dislocated my shoulder six weeks before the Tokyo Olympics; I thought my dream was over, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise. After hard rehab, I focused on the tricks I needed to improve, and I ended up winning. I hope this helps 🩷🙂↕️ You got this, and thanks for being an inspiration 🔥”
German skier Sabrina Cakmakli commented, “I’m so sorry to hear that ❤️🩹 Wishing you a swift recovery ✨.”
Snowboarder Louie Vito, who has competed for both the United States and Italy in the Olympics, encouraged her, saying, “Rest up. You’ll be fine. A little pain and soreness, but nothing you haven’t faced before.”
