“I used to be so pleased with myself. I had the worst apply, ever,” stated Kim, who shouted with pleasure and sunk to her knees on the backside of the halfpipe after touchdown the run and incomes what will be the profitable rating of 94.
The flawless efficiency — wherein she nailed frontside 10 and cab 10 methods — used to be particularly emotional after apply runs wherein she ignored sticking landings a couple of instances, the 21-year-old American stated.
“I most likely landed my run two times (in apply) when I am used to touchdown it 8 instances, in most cases, and in order that places you in a unusual headspace … I overflowed with emotion when I used to be ready to land it at the first move, and it unfolded a large number of alternative for me to move take a look at one thing new,” Kim stated.
That intended going for some riskier methods in the second one and 3rd runs, together with a 1260 — a degree of complexity previous the 2 1080s the athlete nailed in her first effort.
Kim fell in the second one and 3rd runs, however used to be happy she aimed for the advanced transfer.
“It used to be price it needless to say, 1,000%. That is what helps to keep me going. I want I would landed it, however subsequent time,” she stated, including that she had “lovely not too long ago” realized the trick and had but to totally apply it on this halfpipe.
Whilst her ultimate, gold-winning rating of 94 used to be issues above Spanish silver medalist Queralt Castellet’s 90.25 and the 88.25 pulled by way of Japan’s Sena Tomita, who took bronze, Kim stated she would not “essentially say” her win used to be relaxed.
“The women are killing it, and they are progressing at this sort of fast fee. I in finding it inspirational that everybody’s out progressing the game. On the remaining Olympics, you did not see that many 1080s, and now everyone seems to be doing a 1080. That is moderately the development, and it is such an honor to be a part of this recreation and lend a hand development ladies’s halfpipe skiing,” she stated.
At age 17, Kim burst onto the Olympic scene at Pyeongchang 2018 in the similar tournament, turning into the youngest feminine Olympic gold medalist on snow. She additionally boasts 5 X Video games gold medals and two global championships.
Kim has stated prior to now she struggled to maintain the celebrity and a focus that got here together with her Olympic luck. She spoke to CNN in 2021 about her first day at Princeton College, recalling that “everybody used to be more or less looking at me, taking photos.”
Kim additionally advised CNN remaining 12 months that she give up Princeton — for now — to return to being “a full-time snowboarder” as she aimed to grow to be the primary girl in historical past to shield an Olympic halfpipe name.
Kim did simply that during Beijing on Thursday.
This time round, alternatively, with an Olympics amid an endemic, Kim’s circle of relatives used to be now not there to cheer her on — one thing she stated used to be lacking from the gold-winning second.
“I’m unhappy that my circle of relatives is not right here. I am unhappy that my buddies don’t seem to be right here. I am unhappy that it is not the similar actual revel in because of Covid. On the other hand, I am so thankful that we even had been ready to try this and are available right here and constitute our nations. That is crucial section,” she stated.
Kim used to be cheered on by way of China’s freeski giant air gold medalist Eileen Gu, who used to be looking at from the ground of the halfpipe. The 2 champions hugged, with Kim shouting, “Love you!” as she walked off. Gu, who used to be born in the US, gained gold on the giant air pageant on Tuesday.
