Choi Ga-on, wearing her gold medal from the 2026 Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, returned home on the 16th.
Choi, who delivered the first gold medal for the South Korean team, met reporters at the arrivals hall of Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2 and said it still felt unreal.
“I was in Milan until yesterday, so it didn’t really sink in,” she said. “But coming into Korea and being welcomed makes it feel more real, and I’m happy.”
She added, “I didn’t expect so many people to come, so I’m flustered and embarrassed,” saying she was grateful.
Choi won the women’s snowboard halfpipe final held in Livigno, Italy, on Feb. 13 (Korean time). She was 11th out of 12 before her third and final run, then posted a 90.25 to surge to a dramatic victory. Her win also stopped Chloe Kim, considered the event’s biggest star, from winning a third straight Olympic title, drawing global attention.
Choi has been on an upswing, including three wins on the International Ski Federation World Cup circuit in the 2025-2026 season. She raised concern after taking a hard fall on her first run and appearing to limp. “My knee is much better,” she said, adding she plans to undergo a hospital checkup.
Asked what she wanted to eat most after returning, Choi said yukjeon made by her grandmother, adding she also wanted “Dujjonku and malatang,” prompting laughter.
Choi also thanked Shin Dong-bin, chairman of Lotte Group, who helped cover surgery costs after she badly injured her back at a World Cup event in Switzerland in January 2024. “His support and encouragement at the hardest time made it possible for me to be here,” she said.
At the athletes’ village, she said she met short track star Choi Min-jeong. “I watched her race and she was so impressive that I said I wanted to meet her, and I got the chance,” Choi said. “We kept telling each other we were amazing.”
For her schedule back home, Choi said she planned a celebration party with her family and a pajama party with friends.
Choi said she would work to show a wider range of skills. “In halfpipe, the most important thing is to enjoy riding,” she said. “I hope younger athletes can have fun and not get hurt.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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