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U.S. Snowboarder Chloe Kim Shares Injury Update After Leaving Winter Olympics

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Feb 20, 2026 11:01 AM ET

American snowboarding icon Chloe Kim came out of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics successful. The 25-year-old won a silver medal in her lone event, the halfpipe competition.

Kim made history by winning a medal in three straight Winter Games at the halfpipe. This is after she won gold in both the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

What makes Kim’s historic feat even more impressive is the fact that she battled through an injury. The three-time World Championships gold medalist tore the labrum in her left shoulder in January while preparing for the Winter Games. She sustained the injury during a training run in Switzerland.

Silver medalist Chloe Kim of the United States celebrates in the women's halfpipe final during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Kim’s shoulder injury requires surgery. However, she chose to delay the procedure to compete in the Games.

On Thursday, Kim announced that she’s back in the United States after leaving the Winter Olympics. She posted a day-in-the-life video upon her return to home soil. The video featured a gym workout. Kim revealed she’s now preparing for surgery.

"I haven't worked out in a bit, but I really want to get my shoulder strong before I get surgery to make the rehab a bit easier," she said in the video.

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Apart from her injury update, Kim also shared that she’s back to her usual routine. She got some chicken from one of her favorite local restaurants and even had her hair done at a salon.

Kim also caught up with some of her gaming backlog after her busy Winter Olympics schedule. The Torrance, California, native then FaceTimed her boyfriend, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett. The couple opened a pack of Pokémon cards during the call.

Kim did not reveal the exact date of her surgery, but the fact that she’s getting ready for the procedure suggests it's getting close. As she said, the surgery will entail rehab, and Kim is already preparing both physically and mentally.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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