Chloe Kim was once again on top of the snowboarding world at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Thursday morning. The Torrance, California native put on a big showing in her first run that kept her grips on the gold medal at the Genting Snow Park. Spain’s Queralt Castallett who was four points from Kim and took the silver. Sena Tomita of Japan held on for the bronze with a run that got her through the tough competition.
Kim led the way with a great qualifying performance during the first run of qualifications with an 87.75. Ono scored four points below the American, who was the only one from Team USA to make it as the top 12. China locked in two with Cai being a favorite to score a medal with a score of 83.25. With three runs allowed to fight for the medal, Kim would make sure that she did it right on the halfpipe and defend her Olympic gold medal from four years back.
On the first run, the top three were Sena Tomita, who threw down a frontside 900 and 1080 which helped give her an 86. Cai Xuetong had a front-side 900 and ended it with a cab 900 gaining an 81.25. Kim was last to go and put up an amazing run. After a big air, she nailed a front-side 900 and then a back-side 540. Her biggest trick came at the end when she perfected the Cab 900 which ultimately thrilled everyone. The judges awarded her a 94 that immediately put her into first place by eight points.
With two more runs to go, everyone else had their hands forced behind their backs and were on a chase to get into the top three. Sena jumped her score to 88.25 using the same hits from her first run. Xuetong got a 64.50 messing up on the switch 900 where she touched the wall. Moving well into second was Castallett, who surpassed her 69.25 and notched a 90.25 changing up her second and third tricks before ending it with a front-side 900.
Kim tried to throw down the cab 1260 on her second round, but couldn’t keep her hips from falling too low. With her 94 leading after two runs, the last one was critical for those that managed to move closer to the American. Sena had a big fall and would be forced to sit in third with one person near her to surpass. Castallett didn’t improve her second run, leaving the door open for Xuetong.
The Chinese snowboarder came in with a front-side 900 followed by a critical 1080. While they were big hits, the other three didn’t help her get onto the podium as well as a touch on the landings. Kim assured herself of no worse than a silver medal with Mitsuki Ono from Japan last to go. The 17-year-old had a fall after her third trick that secured back-to-back gold medals for the 21-year-old American.
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