Jan. 9 (UPI) — Team USA snowboarding star Chloe Kim sustained a dislocated shoulder, threatening her participation in the Winter Olympics, but she remains optimistic.
Kim was hurt during on the second day of training this week in Laax, Switzerland. She posted footage of the fall Thursday on Instagram.
Kim was to undergo an MRI on Friday. USA Snowboarding did not immediately respond to a request for an update on the results of the MRI or Kim’s status.
Kim’s video shows her snowboarding in a halfpipe. She landed a jump before going the other way, but fell face first as she went up for another leap.
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A post shared by Chloe Kim (@chloekim)
“I hate that I have to make this video, but I just felt that it was necessary,” Kim said. “I’ve been here for a couple days. I’m currently in Switzerland and on my second day of training, I took the silliest fall.
“And that ultimately resulted in me dislocating my shoulder. Just so fun. Trying to stay really optimistic. I think I don’t have much clarity right now because I haven’t gotten an MRI yet. But that’s scheduled for [Friday].”
Kim, 25, is on a quest to become the first snowboarder in history to win the gold medal in the halfpipe at three consecutive Olympics. The Milano Cortina Winter Games will be held Feb. 6 to 22.
The women’s snowboarding halfpipe competition will be Feb. 11 and 12 in Livigno, Italy. Kim qualified by winning her third consecutive world championship on March 29 in Engadin, Switzerland.
“Positive thing is, I have range,” Kim said. “I am not in that much pain. Um, obviously I just don’t want it to keep popping out, which has happened.
“So yeah, just trying to stay really optimistic, but I feel really good about where my snowboarding is at right now so I know that the minute I get cleared and I’m good to go, it should be fine. I’m just hoping that that doesn’t take too long. But I’m just going to be chilling for the next little while.”
Several former and current Team USA stars issued well wishes for Kim on her Instagram post, including fellow snowboarding star Shaun White and alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin.
“You got this Chloe,” White, who won three (nonconsecutive) Olympic gold medals in the halfpipe, wrote on Kim’s post.
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