Behind Choi Ga-on (Sehwa Girls' High School), who won Korea's first Olympic gold medal in a snow event, was her father, Choi In-young. Recalling the big fall in the first run of the final, Choi said, "I worried that my child (Ga-on) might be hurt and stop here," and added, "I feel like I could fly. It feels like a dream."
On the 13th (Korea time), right after the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Livigno Snowpark in Italy at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics, Choi shared overwhelming emotions in an interview with Yonhap News.
Choi Ga-on scored 90.25 points to beat Chloe Kim (United States) with 88.00 points and win, securing the delegation's first gold medal at the Games and Korea's first-ever Olympic gold medal in skiing or snowboarding.
In the first run, Choi Ga-on's board caught on the lip of the pipe and she took a hard fall, later seen limping after sustaining an impact that left a bruise on her knee. Choi said, "She tried a move similar to when she badly hurt her back at the LAAX World Cup in Switzerland in early 2024 and got injured again, so it felt like déjà vu and really shocked me," adding, "For a moment, I even thought, 'She's going to quit now.'"
He said even as a father it was hard to judge the situation at the time. Choi said, "She managed to ride down, but she said there was no strength in her knee and leg, so I wondered if it would be dangerous to get back on the board in that condition." It is known that Choi Ga-on was so upset she did not even take her anxious father's call.
Even so, Choi said he trusted his daughter's mental strength more than her performance. Choi said, "Since she was little, Ga-on hated to lose. When Ga-on gets one chance, she is the kind of athlete who converts. She has mental toughness," adding, "(Before the third run) I told myself not to aim for first place—lower the level if needed, and just focus on finishing beautifully to the end."
Nevertheless, Choi Ga-on completed her routine in the third run, earned the highest score, and sealed a comeback victory. Choi said of that moment, "Watching her nail it in the third run made me so proud, and I also felt sorry."
After the event, Choi Ga-on finished the medal ceremony and ran first to her father to hang the gold medal around his neck. Choi Ga-on said, "I'm sorry and grateful to Dad, who accepts me even when I'm irritable," and her father replied, "I'm the one who's more sorry."
Choi, having recognized his daughter's potential early, wound down his business to focus on supporting her, following her training and travel. He said, "At the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, I met Chloe Kim's father and heard the advice, 'A daughter can do better if you follow her around and take care of various things,'" adding, "When I went along once, I really felt the difference, and from then on I resolved to keep doing it." He continued, "On the road, seeing junior athletes from different countries, Ga-on wasn't behind at all. That strengthened my resolve."
Choi also left a request for what comes next for his daughter. He said, "Up to now, Ga-on has trained almost frighteningly hard. From now on, I hope she fills in what's lacking and studies life, too," adding, "I want her to trust and love herself more and feel proud of herself." He added with confidence, "Ga-on will become even stronger now."