Winter Olympics star Chloe Kim is going to vie for her second medal at the Beijing Olympics next month. Notably, Chloe will enter as the reigning champion to defend her title in the halfpipe.

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The young star has now opened up about the pressure of being an Olympic gold medalist. Chloe hailed Simone for taking a step back at the highest level of sports for her own mental health.

Chloe Kim finds inspiration in Simone Biles

Citing the issue of getting injured and putting her gold medal dreams behind, Simone took a daring step to say no to competing in Tokyo. Her one step back has inspired many athletes around the world to speak up for their mental health.

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Simone Biles at the Tokyo Olympics 2020

Reuters

21-year-old Chloe Kim shared her views on finding inspiration from Simone Biles. Chloe said“Having that comfort knowing that, ‘Hey, I’m doing something really dangerous, or I’m doing something that is hard on my body, if I mentally can’t do it, then I shouldn’t. It’s in my best interest. Showing the world that you have to put yourself first and give up something like an Olympic gold medal, that was very touching and inspirational.”

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Chloe competes in snowboarding, a sport that is always exposed to injuries. Throwing back to her winning her first Olympics, Chloe had made a shocking revelation about her medal.

Chloe threw her Olympic gold medal in the trash

After becoming the champion at the 2018 Winter Olympics, Chloe did not place her medal in safe but in the trash. It was not the hate for the medal but for the life that came with it, Chloe said, “I hated life.”

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Kim was adversely affected by the unwanted attention she was getting after her achievement. The young athlete just wanted to go back to her normal life, but could not as she was in the spotlight.

Read More: “I Didn’t Know How to Control My Emotions”: Sha’Carri Richardson Urges Fans to ‘Not Judge Her’ for Past Decisions

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Grown-up from that experience, Chloe is now going to compete in her second Olympics, as the favorite to win. There will be more pressure on her to defend the title this time, but hopefully, Kim would thrive. Are you cheering for Chloe Kim to win at the Beijing Olympics?

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Shreya Verma

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Shreya Verma is a US Sports Content Strategist at EssentiallySports, with a focus on Olympic sports and athlete storytelling, covering beats like tennis, gymnastics, basketball, track and field, wrestling, and more. A qualified National Level air pistol shooter, she brings the unique perspective of both an athlete and a journalist to her work. Over the past four years at EssentiallySports, she has covered some of the biggest sporting stages, from managing the Olympic Sports desk during the Winter Olympics 2022 to spearheading the US Open 2025 coverage and content strategy. In 2024, she was on the ground in Paris for the Summer Olympics, where she interviewed legends and rising stars, including Carl Lewis, Laurie Hernandez, Fred Kerley, Noah Lyles, Quincy Hall, and Grant Holloway, who memorably offered her the chance to try on his gold medal. She also connected with icons and fan favorites such as Tom Brady, Katie Ledecky, Tara Davis & Hunter Woodhall, Andy Murray, Ilona Maher, Kevon Williams, Jonathan Owens, and Neeraj Chopra, while capturing emotional family perspectives from Nellie Biles, Jordan Chiles’ mother, Suni Lee’s mother, and Katie Ledecky’s brother, Michael. Her journalism is marked by authenticity, access, and a deep passion for highlighting perseverance and human connection in sports. Inspired by Olympic champions like Allyson Felix and Vincent Hancock, Shreya continues to carve her path as a storyteller.

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