Olympic Gold Medalist Chloe Kim Is the Most Badass Snowboarder
Get ready to meet one of your 2018 Winter Olympic girl crushes, Chloe Kim. She's currently dominating the women's halfpipe snowboarding scene, becoming the youngest athlete in X Games history to earn three gold medals before the age of 16. Now, Chloe has an Olympic gold medal to display with her many other awards, as she took the top honor in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Here are seven reasons why we love her.
She Is Fluent in Korean
Chloe is extra excited for her first Olympics because they will take place in Pyeongchang, which is the native country of her parents. She is fluent in Korean and speaks the language when she is with her parents.
Her Dad Is Responsible For Her Love of Snowboarding
When Chloe was 4, she and her dad tried snowboarding together for the first time. They ended up becoming riding companions for years, and her dad eventually went on to quit his job to drive Chloe several hours to Mammoth Mountain in California every weekend to train. Her dad even served as her coach initially.
She Earned 3 X Game Gold Medals Before Age 16
At a very young age, Chloe dominated the X Games, winning her first medal (silver) at age 13. She went on to earn three gold medals for the X Games before the age of 16.
She's Still in High School
Unlike most 17-year-olds, Chloe's free time doesn't exactly involve a whole lot of Netflix and chill; it involves training. She goes to Mammoth Mountain High School and is enrolled in an online program so that she can do her work and her studying from home.
She Loves Her Australian Shepherd
One of Chloe's favorite things in the world is her Mini Australian Shepherd dog named Reese. She told NBC Olympics that she loves to go for hikes with Reese and enjoy the beautiful beach view.
She's a Little Superstitious
Before each run she has, she has a ritual that she performs, which includes her knocking on the top of her board. Chloe told NBC Olympics she does this because it comes from the expression "knock on wood."
She Loves to Change Her Hair Color
And we love following along her hair color transformations, too! She's had pink, red, and purple hair. We wonder what color she'll have this year for the Winter Olympics.
To learn more about Chloe, visit Team USA. The Winter Olympics will air live, beginning Feb 8.