American snowboarder Chloe Kim was poised to make Olympic history this Thursday by becoming the first snowboarder to win three consecutive gold medals, despite a torn labrum in her shoulder. Kim’s reign was cut short, however, as 17-year-old Choi Gaon from Korea swooped in and beat her by two points in her Olympic debut. In an ironic twist, Kim first gained global recognition when she was the same age, when she won gold in the women’s halfpipe in the 2018 Winter Olympics. She has continued to reign in the sport as a three-time world champion, 12-time World Cup winner, and eight-time Winter X Champion. For most of the night, it seemed like the 25-year-old California native had it in the bag. Kim started off in the number one slot after a strong first run that earned her 88 points, but crashed in her second run. Gaon, however, had two rocky runs, the first of which left her sitting in the middle of the course with medical assistance for several minutes. At first, it was unclear if she’d even be able to keep competing. Then, in her last run, Gaon shocked the crowd by delivering an impressive 90.25 points and knocking Kim from her perch in first place. As the snow pummeled down in Livigno, Italy, Kim’s last chance at the new title was wiped out when she fell again, solidifying the silver medal for herself and the gold for Gaon. Regardless of the disappointment, Kim said she is happy about how far she’s come, “A month ago I wasn’t even sure I would be here … this medal means so much to me.” Though Kim could only train for two weeks leading up to the Olympics because of the previous injury to her shoulder, she wasn’t worried about competing: “I might be better at snowboarding than I am at walking,” she said Wednesday morning after landing the top score in the qualifying round. However, Kim did announce that her shoulder would require surgery. Unlike several other American Olympians, Kim has always said that she is proud to represent her country. When asked by a reporter for a response to President Donald Trump calling fellow Olympian Hunter Hess a “loser,” Kim would rather lead with love and compassion. “Obviously, my parents being immigrants, this one definitely hits pretty close to home. I think in moments like these, it is important to unite and stand up for one another, for all that’s going on.” “I’m really proud to represent the United States,” she said. “The U.S. has given my family and I so much opportunity, but I also think we are allowed to voice our opinions on what is going on, and I think we need to love and compassion. I would love to see some more of that.”