For most athletes, a silver medal would sting, especially when it stands between them and a historic three-peat. But for Chloe Kim, the story of Milan–Cortina wasn’t about falling short. It was about legacy. And that legacy only grew louder when snowboarding icon Shaun White publicly backed her greatness despite the result.

Kim finished second in the women’s halfpipe at the 2026 Winter Olympics, posting an 88.00 as South Korea’s teenage phenom Choi Ga-on surged ahead with a 90.25 in her final run. The narrow defeat denied Kim a third consecutive Olympic gold medal. Yet instead of diminishing her stature, the performance reignited debates about her place among the sport’s all-time greats, a conversation amplified by White’s endorsement.

Former professional Snowboarder Shaun White also didn’t hold back from praising her for the remarkable win. Sharing a picture of Kim with her silver medal, he reacted with three clapping emojis. Coming from a three-time Olympic medalist himself, the remark added more than just official success to Kim’s growing portfolio.

White offered unwavering support for Chloe Kim throughout her journey to Milano Cortina. After Kim suffered a torn labrum in her shoulder during January training, she reached out to White for guidance; he shared hard-earned wisdom from his own injury setbacks, reminding her that the Olympic path is rarely straight – full of twists, turns, and unexpected challenges, and urged her to focus on recovery, adaptability, and showing up ready rather than dwelling on lost preparation time.

In interviews leading up to and during the Games, White consistently praised her dominance, describing her riding as being “in its own league” and noting that she was “setting the bar high” in a sport that had never seen a three-peat in halfpipe.

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Entering the 2026 Games as the defending champion after gold medals in the 2018 Winter Olympics and 2022 Winter Olympics, Kim had already cemented herself as one of the halfpipe’s defining figures. Milan–Cortina may not have delivered the three-peat, but with legends like White publicly backing her dominance, the narrative quickly shifted from silver-medal disappointment to enduring greatness.

Her victories had established her as one of the most dominant athletes in the sport. At just 17 years old, Choi delivered a strong final run under pressure to move ahead of Kim and claim her first Olympic gold medal.

During the final, Kim appeared all in to improve her score in her last run but fell. This prevented her from overtaking Choi. Despite the fall, her earlier run was strong enough to secure the silver medal, adding another Olympic medal to her record.

Kim had also faced challenges leading up to the Games, including a shoulder injury that affected her preparation. However, despite settling for a silver medal, fans appeared to be heavily satisfied with the feat as discussions across social media platforms depicted a surprising narrative.

Fans hype Chloe Kim’s performance despite silver medal finish

While several media platforms presented Chloe Kim’s performance as a near-miss for her third gold medal, a post from Bleacher Report published it in a positive fashion.

“Third Olympic Medal at only 25 years old for Chloe Kim,” the post caption said. “She was the first to congratulate Choi Gaon. Class act”

As soon as the post caught the attention of fans, a majority of the voices praised her for earning her third medal, regardless of the fact that it wasn’t a gold medal. “Is Chloe Kim already the undisputed GOAT of her sport at 25, or does she still have more to prove,” a fan asked.

At age 25, Kim won two Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal, multiple X Games gold medals, and world titles, becoming one of snowboard halfpipe’s most successful athletes ever.

Another fan expressed notable respect for Kim after she secured her third Olympic medal, although a silver. “Pure respect right there. She was so emotional,” the comment said. The post event scenes saw the American snowboarder turn emotional while recalling the challenges she overcame to make her return and compete at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. 

“Incredible to medal again and celebrate a competitor true champion energy,” a fan wrote, applauding the 25-year-old’s consistency in maintain the top position at the Olympics. This came in regard to the athlete’s commendable success. Kim won Olympic gold medals in 2018 (PyeongChang) and 2022 (Beijing) followed by another Olympic silver in 2026 (Milan–Cortina).

A fan drew her recent success parallel to her boyfriend. “She’s all class, just like her boyfriend,” he wrote. Chloe Kim’s boyfriend is Myles Garrett, one of the most successful players in American football.

Her boyfriend, Myles Garrett is a professional NFL player who plays as a defensive end for the Cleveland Browns. He was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, making it clear how highly he was rated coming into the league.

Another fan simply admired her positive reaction despite missing out on the gold medal. “Look how happy she is although its silver,” the comment said. The ceremony pictures posted by Bleacher Report clearly showcased Kim with a bright smile on her face, clarifying how she wasn’t disappointed but proud of her achievement.