2026 Winter Olympics: How Kim Sang-kyum Achieved Korea’s 400th Medal and Aims for Gold

[INCHEON – Sports Today] Silver medalist Kim Sang-gyeom has his sights set on gold for his next Olympic appearance.

The snowboarder, who clinched silver in the men’s parallel giant slalom, shared his aspirations upon returning home.

Kim touched down at Incheon International Airport’s Terminal 1 on February 10, alongside his alpine snowboarding teammates Lee Sang-ho, Jo Wan-hee, and Jeong Hae-rim.

Sporting his silver medal, Kim entered the arrival hall beaming, clearly moved by the warm reception. His wife Park Han-sol, family members, journalists, and well-wishers were on hand to celebrate his triumphant return.

Kim’s silver medal came in the men’s parallel giant slalom at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, held at Livigno Snowpark in Italy on February 8.

This podium finish marks a significant milestone for Kim, who had previously competed without medal success in Sochi 2014 (17th), Pyeongchang 2018 (15th), and Beijing 2022 (24th).

His achievement is doubly significant as it represents both South Korea’s first medal at these Games and the nation’s 400th Olympic medal overall.

Kim’s emotional post-race interviews and his respectful bow during the medal ceremony also garnered widespread attention.

Speaking to reporters after landing, Kim said, “Winning my first medal on such a grand stage is surreal. I thought I’d tear up seeing my family, but I’m just overjoyed.” He added, “The welcome has been overwhelming. All these cameras are making me sweat, but I’m going to try to enjoy this moment.”

“I haven’t slept since the race, with all the congratulations coming in,” Kim continued. “The flight was tiring, but the adrenaline’s still pumping – I don’t feel too exhausted yet.”

This silver medal holds special significance for Kim after his previous Olympic disappointments, particularly erasing the sting of underperforming in his home Olympics in Pyeongchang.

“Competing away from home, I felt less pressure than in Pyeongchang,” Kim explained. “Being a local there added extra weight, which might have affected my performance. This time, I competed freely, and I’m grateful it resulted in a medal.”

Photo by Kwon Kwang-il

While basking in his current success, Kim is already looking ahead to his next challenge: capturing that elusive gold medal.

“If my body holds up, I’d love to compete in two more Olympics,” Kim stated. “But we’ll see. With the World Championships next year and another Olympics in three years, I’m committed to giving it my all. The gold medal is my next target.”

Kim also noted, “I competed against Roland Fischnaller from Italy in the quarterfinals. He was born in 1980 and has been to six or seven Olympics. Age isn’t a limiting factor in our sport.”

He also congratulated fellow snowboarder Yoo Seung-eun on her bronze in the women’s big air event. “My teammates saw the news on their phones during the flight. I guess I’m showing my age – I didn’t know we could use the internet on planes,” he chuckled. “She’s only 18 – what an incredible achievement. I’m so proud of her.”

Kim’s schedule remains packed. After resolving visa issues in South Korea, he’ll depart on the 25th for World Cup events in Poland on February 28 and March 1. “There are five World Cup events through March, and I plan to compete in all of them,” he said.

[Sports Today, Lee Sang-pil sports@stoo.com ] The most accessible and fun news ⓒ Sports Today