Omega marks boarder Choi Ga-on's timeless gold victory with Olympic edition Speedmaster

Choi Ga-on, the 17-year-old snowboarder who secured Korea’s first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, has been presented with a special edition timepiece from Omega.

Choi Ga-on, Korea’s first gold medalist of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, poses for a photo after receiving a luxury wristwatch from Omega, the official timekeeper of the Games, at the Omega House in Milan on Feb.14. Omega presented Choi with the commemorative Speedmaster 38mm Milano Cortina 2026 edition. [OMEGA]

MILAN — Choi Ga-on, the 17-year-old snowboarder who secured Korea’s first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, has been presented with a special edition timepiece from Omega.

Omega, the official timekeeper of the Olympic Games, announced that it had awarded Choi a Speedmaster 38mm Milano Cortina 2026 on Saturday. The presentation took place at the Omega House, where Omega President and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann personally handed over the watch, commemorating the achievement.

Choi captured gold in the women’s snowboard halfpipe final at the Livigno Snow Park on Friday, delivering a dramatic comeback to claim the top of the podium and secure Korea’s first gold medal of the Games.

Choi Ga-on, Korea’s first gold medalist of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, right, receives an Omega watch from Raynald Aeschlimann, president and CEO of Omega, at the Omega House in Milan on Feb.14. Omega presented her with the commemorative Speedmaster 38mm Milano Cortina 2026 edition. [OMEGA]

After falling in both her first and second runs, Choi maintained her composure and delivered a flawless performance in her third and final attempt, staging a stunning turnaround victory.

“Despite her young age, her unwavering composure and ability to turn crisis into opportunity make this victory about more than just a gold medal,” Omega said in a statement, translated from Korean to English. “Overcoming two failed runs to produce a decisive final performance captured the unique tension and emotion of the Olympic stage.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM HYO-KYUNG [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]