After arriving through Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 2 on the afternoon of the 21st, Yoo told reporters it was an honor just to ride “with the Taegeuk mark” at the Olympics, adding, “It’s an even greater honor that I was able to win a medal.”
Yoo placed third with 171 points in the women’s big air final held Feb. 10 (Korea time) at the Livigno Snow Park in Italy.
Big air features riders accelerating down a slope of more than 30 meters before launching off a large jump, with scores based on jumps, spins, landings and distance.
Big air became an official Olympic event at the 2018 PyeongChang Games. Yoo was the first South Korean woman to compete in the event, and she won a medal in her first Olympic final. She also became the first South Korean to win an Olympic medal in a judged freestyle snowboarding discipline.
“I learned a lot through the Olympics, and my confidence went up,” Yoo said. “It was a stage where I could feel and learn a lot about what I do well and what I still lack.” She added, “Honestly, it still feels like I’m dreaming. Even though the Olympics are over, it all feels like a dream.”
Born in 2008, Yoo dealt with injuries at a young age. In 2024, she fractured her right ankle and spent more than a year in rehabilitation. After returning, she suffered a wrist fracture as well. She said her condition is now strong, emphasizing, “I’m very healthy. The injuries are almost recovered now.”
Asked what she wanted to tell herself after the Olympics, Yoo said, “Good job, and let’s keep working hard.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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