45thethe novelty of having a gold mthe novelty of having a gold mnoveltyofha edalist on camedalist on camistoncampuspus wore off. pus wore off. woreoff.
KimKimKim shifted her interest from shifted her interest fromshiftedherin chem chemistry, which she found istry, which she found t r y,whichshefound
tootoo diffitoo diffidifficult,cult, to anthropology. And she sought out friends cult, to anthropology. And she sought out friends toanth soughtoutfriends
whowho didn’t know mwho didn’t know mdidn’tknowmuchuch about her. Pollard, who grew up on uch about her. Pollard, who grew up on whogrewupon
anan Alabaman AlabamAlabamaa cattle farma cattle farmcattlefarm,, texted Kim, texted Kim during Princeton’s first during Princeton’s first inceton’sfirst
snowfall,snowfall, wondering if her friend fromsnowfall, wondering if her friend fromwonderingifher Southern California Southern California California
hadhad ever seen the powdery white stuff before.everseenthepowderyw
PerhapsPerhaps mPerhaps mmostost imost imimportant,portant, college let Kimportant, college let Kimc be around be around nd
otherother talented, driven people who didn’t always succeed. talented,drivenpeoplewh
AfterAfter years of chasing perfection, it was a revelation. “Ev-After years of chasing perfection, it was a revelation. “Ev-yearsofchasingperfection,itw
eryoneeryone around maroundmee was falling apart when it camwasfallingapartwh e time to
dodo an examanexam,”,” KimKim says. “It’s a sh-t show. People are hiding says.“ It ’sash-tshow.Peo
awayaway in the darkest part of the library until 3 in the minthedarkestpartofthelibraryuntil 3 inth orning,
andand then comand then comthencominging out like zoming out like zomoutlikezombiesbies at 7 and doing it all over bies at 7 and doing it all over at 7 anddoingital
again.again. That was great. It was just like, ‘I need this. I need to again. That was great. It was just like, ‘I need this. I need to Thatwasgreat.Itwasjustlike,‘Ineedthis.Ineedto
see other amazing people fall apart.’ ”
After the pandemic shut down campus in March
2020, Kim chose to return to competitive snowboard-
ing. She hasn’t ruled out going back—which would make
her mother happy. “I’d like Chloe to go to Princeton,” says
Boran. “But Chloe’s happiness comes first. Chloe is now 21
years old and she can make decisions on her own, so I sup-
port her decisions.”
But Kim’s short time at school has had a lasting effect.
She credits it with helping her be open to seeing a thera-
pistpist and processing somandprocessingsomee of the fear and anger she has as ofthefearandangershehasas
a result of racist ma result of racist mresultofracistmessagesessages like the one fromessages like the one fromliketheonefrom April: “You April: “You April:“ Yo u
dumdumb Asian bitch,” it read. “Kiss mb Asian bitch,” it read. “Kiss mbAsianbitch,”itread.“Kissmyy ass.” Simy ass.” Simass.”Similarilar slurs reg-ilar slurs reg-slursreg-
ularly fill her social feeds. That hate, comularly fill her social feeds. That hate, comfillhersocialfeeds.Thathate,combinedbined with the bined with the withthe
rise in anti-Asian violence, has been scarring. “I’mrise in anti-Asian violence, has been scarring. “I’mnti-Asianviolence,hasbeenscarring.“I’m scared scared scared
to do anything by mto do anything by mhingbymyself,yself, and it sucks,” Kimyself, and it sucks,” Kimanditsucks,”Kim says. “I feel says. “I feel says.“Ifeel
trapped.” Wtrapped.” WWhenhen she’s out to dinner with famhen she’s out to dinner with famshe’souttodinnerwithfamily,ily, they often ily, they often theyoften
call her a fake namcall her a fake namenamee so as not to draw attention. They’ve e so as not to draw attention. They’ve soasnottodrawattention.They’ve
trtried Jenny. And Cindy. “It works,” Tracy, Kim’s older sis-tried Jenny. And Cindy. “It works,” Tracy, Kim’s older sis-ndCindy.“Itworks,”Tracy,Kim’soldersis-
ter,ter, says, “mter, says, “most of the timost of the timofthetime.”e.”e.”
KKimKim says therapy has been key to helping her unlock feel- says therapy has been key to helping her unlock feel-pyhasbeenkeytohelpingherunlockfeel-
ingsings she has long kept inside. “Just being able to let those ings she has long kept inside. “Just being able to let those s keptinside.“Justbeingabletoletthosethings out that you just tuck in your little secret
part of your heart helps a lot,” she says. “I feel
much more at peace now.”as the beijing games have drawn nearer,
Kim’s focus has intensified. Always committed
to training in the snow, she started hitting the
gym with purpose too. Kim’s trainer, Roy Chan,
has Kim doing single-leg squats and other core
exercises to make sure she can sustain the force
of her landings. “She pretty much doesn’t take
any days off,” Chan says. “In a lot of cases, ath-
letes sometimes just fall out of love with the
extracurricular work that they need to sus-
tain their season. But with Chloe that’s not
the case.”
Kim feels the weight of expectation. And she
knows her situation is not that different from
Simone Biles’ before the Tokyo Olympics in July.
Their acrobatic sports have frightening similari-
ties too: if Kim’s mind isn’t right during a rou-
tine, she risks life- threatening damage. Pretend-
ing that the parallels with Biles don’t exist “is the
worst thing you can do,” says Kim’s coach, Rick
Bower, who also led the U.S. national halfpipe
teamteamteam from fromfrom 2010 through last season. “To talk 2010 through last season. “To talk 2010 throughlastseason.“ To
about it as it comabout it as it comabout it as it comabout it as it comabout it as it comabout it as it comabout it as it comitcomeses up, and not push it away or es up, and not push it away or es up, and not push it away or es up, and not push it away or es up, and not push it away or es up, and not push it away or es up, and not push it away or upandnot
anything, that’s our plan.”anything, that’s our plan.”
KimKim says Biles’ decision to withdraw from says Biles’ decision to withdraw from
comcompetition in Tokyo rather than risk injury is petition in Tokyo rather than risk injury is
a source of strength for her and other athletes. a source of strength for her and other athletes.
“Having that com“Having that com“Having that com“Having that com“Having that comfort knowing that, ‘Hey, I’mfort knowing that, ‘Hey, I’mfort knowing that, ‘Hey, I’mfort knowing that, ‘Hey, I’mfort knowing that, ‘Hey, I’my,Im
doing somdoing somdoing somdoing somdoingsomethingething really dangerous, or I’mething really dangerous, or I’mething really dangerous, or I’mething really dangerous, or I’mreallydangerous,orI’m doing doing doing doing doing
something that is hard on my body, if I mentally
can’t do it, then I shouldn’t,’ ” says Kim. “It’s in
my best interest. Showing the world that you
have to put yourself first and give up something
like an Olympic gold medal, that was very touch-
ing and inspirational.”
For now, her plans for Beijing include
unveiling three new tricks. “I’m so excited,” she
says. “They’re an upgrade from everything I’ve
done.” She won’t say more, which makes sense,
but also demurs when asked more generally
about the Winter Games. “Don’t have too many
expectations,” she says softly. “Just let me vibe.
I’m just trying to chill.” She gives it a beat.
Then, in a more forceful voice, Chloe Kim gets
real. “No, I’m just kidding. You just expect a lot
out of me. I’m going to go off.” —With reporting
by SangSuk Sylvia kang, nik PoPli and
FROM Simmone Shah
LEF T:
COURTESY
CHLOE
F R O M L E F T: C O U R T E S Y C H L O E K I M (2) ; R J S A N G O S T I — T H E D E N V E R P O S T/G E T T Y I M A G E S
ENVER
F R O M L E F T: C O U R T E S Y C H L O E K I M (2) ; R J S A N G O S T I — T H E D E N V E R P O S T/G E T T Y I M A G E S
POST/GE T T Y
IMAGES
COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:
KIM, AT AGE 6, IN CALIFORNIA; WITH HER
MOTHER BORAN AT 11; AT 13, SNAGGING
SILVER AT THE 2014 WINTER X GAMES