Losing Thousands Over Retirement, Olympic Snowboarder Made Official Announcement for Milan Cortina 2026

A year from now, when snow would’ve taken to both the ground and the sky, the Winter Olympics would go to the very land of Olympic spirit. Italy is all set to host the Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina from 6th – 22nd February, 2026. The event is also important as it marks the last one for the ever-young Lindsey Vonn who retired from skiing in 2019 after multiple injuries. There’s also a red-carpet celebrity who’s all geared up for gold after winning her mental health battles.

Chloe Kim has to be one of the top names in the list of the most famous snowboarding personalities, being not only a gold medalist at the top level of the sport but also a Hollywood celebrity. But the fame and the snow did take its toll on the G.O.A.T as she had to take a break from snowboarding after her Beijing gold medal because of mental health issues. Though the break had its financial toll on the American sweetheart like the switch of board sponsors from Burton to Roxy in 2019, she prioritized her mind.

Now, much to the excitement of her fans, the American sweetheart has ensured that the world would witness the magic of the two-time Olympian in Milan. In a recent Instagram post by the Olympics, she said, “I am so excited to go to Milan for the snowboarding, of course. But also, I will be having so much food and I can’t wait.” How exciting!

Her words stand as a testament to her bubbly nature, which has earned her the adornment of her fans over the years. The two-time gold medalist is pushing for her third gold in February 2026, but she’s also looking to enjoy her time in Milan and walk away unhurt. Talking to ESPN, she said, “I’m just hoping to walk away unscathed and with a big smile on my face.”

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The ‘Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!‘ voice actress is very well known for her breaks but what is even greater about her are the comebacks. Making her return in the Laax Open in Switzerland in January 2024, the youngest woman to win an Olympic gold medal in snowboarding has been unstoppable ever since. In the last 16 months, the 24-year-old has become the first woman to land a 1260 in a halfpipe competition, and the first to land a double cork 1080. There’s more! she also won the X Games 2025 (the biggest annual event in the sport) with a score of 93.33 points on the first attempt, the ‘Charlie Angel’s‘ actress has now tied with Shaun white for the most superpipe gold medals. But the question remains…why the break? What possibly can make the G.O.A.T of snowboarding hate it?

Chloe Kim vs Mental Illness

After the 2019 Olympic win fame took such a toll on Chloe that she considered retiring from the sport altogether out of anxiety. The two-time back-to-back Olympic gold medalist talked about students always wanting to talk to her about snowboarding and snowboarding alone when she went back to school, which she disliked.

The Asian-American was also exposed to racism at the tender age of 13 after she won her first medal, a silver in the halfpipe, at the 2014 X Games in Aspen, Colorado. Racists were dismissive of Kim’s achievements and asked the snowboarder to go back to China and stop taking medals away from the white American girls on the team in her DMs. It was a hard time for little Chloe, but over the years, she has learned to speak up about it.

In a candid conversation with Pop Sugar the California native opened up about the tough time which got worse, thanks to no professional help in Korea. “Therapy wasn’t a thing in Korea, especially then, so it was probably still new for my parents when they came to the States. I remember I had friends who were in therapy for a variety of reasons, and I was always envious that they had access. My parents would have never not let me go to therapy, but it was never suggested. They just didn’t know any better.” Covid made it harder for her and pushed her into a severe depression period.

In 2022 the snowboarding goat decided to go to college and thus made the best decision of her life. The break not only helped her reconnect with snowboarding but also access therapy. She said “I went to college for a year and that was the most incredible experience. I felt so revived after that. Now, I definitely have a different approach that makes me more excited about snowboarding.” Rediscovering a love for the sport ought to be one of the best feelings!

However tough times got, this Olympic champion proved she is tougher. We are looking for her to assert dominance on the slopes once again. We are more than excited to see how things unfold for the phenomenal Chloe Kim!

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