On the 13th, as Korean snowboarding made new history, Livigno Snow Park in Italy also saw shining sportsmanship from the snowboarders. Scenes of the athletes in the women's halfpipe final congratulating and encouraging one another when runs succeeded or failed left a deep impression.

A representative example was the third run of the women's snowboard halfpipe final at the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics held at Livigno Snow Park on the 13th.

Choi Ga-on (18, Sehwa Girls' High School) was not fully fit and could not show her skills in runs one and two. Just as withdrawal was being considered, she moved into first place with an unbelievable 90.25 in run three. At that moment, Chloe Kim, the snowboarding legend who had been leading with 88.00 from her first run, was pushed to second.

In her final third run with the gold medal at stake, Chloe Kim failed the landing on her fourth trick. While her bid for a third straight Olympic gold evaporated, Choi Ga-on claimed the first gold medal in Korean snowboarding.

What drew attention was what followed. Chloe Kim hugged Choi Ga-on, who was celebrating with the coaching staff, and offered congratulations on the victory. For Choi Ga-on, who has often emphasized that Chloe Kim is her role model and the athlete she respects most, the congratulations brought unsurpassed joy. Chloe Kim also approached Ono Mizuki of Japan, whose bronze was confirmed, to offer greetings.

The sportsmanship shown by Ono also stood out. After her own run ended in failure in both the second and third attempts, she comforted other athletes after their mistakes. When Canada's Elizabeth Hosking failed a jump, fell, and came down, Ono put an arm around her shoulder and applauded. It offered a glimpse of the friendship between the two, who stood side by side on the podium as second and third at the 2023 World Championships.

The sportsmanship displayed by Chloe Kim and Ono continued at the award ceremony, where they celebrated one another, then exited together to put a period on the occasion. They were meaningful scenes, showing that on the Olympic stage, beyond results, the value of sweat and tears is acknowledged.