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Snowboarder Kim Geon-hui gets men's halfpipe gold in Harbin on qualifying score

Published: 13 Feb. 2025, 15:56 Updated: 13 Feb. 2025, 17:58

PAIK JI-HWAN
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Korean snowboarder Kim Geon-hui practices ahead of the men's snowboard halfpipe final at the Asian Winter Games at Yabuli Ski Resort in Yabuli, China on Feb. 13. [YONHAP]

Korean snowboarder Kim Geon-hui won a gold medal in the men’s snowboard halfpipe event at the Asian Winter Games after the final scheduled on Thursday was canceled due to blustery conditions at Yabuli Ski Resort in Yabuli, China.

Kim topped the podium with the 78 points he earned from the qualification run on Wednesday, with countryman Lee Ji-ho taking bronze with 69.75. Kikuchihara Koyata of Japan secured silver with 75.

Kim’s gold medal marks his first honor on the international stage at 16. He is the second Korean snowboarder to win gold in this year’s Asiad after 18-year-old Lee Chae-un, who won the men’s snowboard slopestyle on Feb. 8.

Team Korea has collected five medals from snowboard in total so far, with Kang Dong-hun having also won two bronzes from the men’s snowboard slopestyle and big air events.

The country sits in second on the medal rankings in snowboarding behind host country China at eight as of press time Thursday. Japan is the only country to have medaled in the sport with five medals, but sits below Korea with one gold medal fewer at one gold, two silver and two bronzes.

BY PAIK JI-HWAN [[email protected]]