Harbin: Kim Geon-hui was awarded the gold medal in the weather-interrupted men's snowboard halfpipe event at the Asian Winter Games in China on Thursday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim had finished first in the qualification round on Wednesday. When the final scheduled for Thursday was canceled due to blustery conditions at Yabuli Ski Resort, approximately 200 kilometers southeast of the main host city, Harbin, Kim was crowned the champion based on his qualification score of 78.00 points. This marked South Korea's 13th gold medal at the Winter Asiad.

Another South Korean boarder, Lee Ji-o, received the bronze with a score of 69.75 points, while Japan's Koyata Kikuchihara earned the silver with 75.00 points. During the qualification round, athletes performed two runs, with the higher score determining their final standing.

Lee Chae-un, the slopestyle champion from Saturday and a favorite for the halfpipe title, finished in sixth place with 43.75 points. Kim, aged 16, expressed relief and happiness that the final was canceled, sparing him from performing under challenging conditions.

"I got really lucky today," Kim said with a smile. "Honestly, when the officials were discussing the possibility of canceling the final, I was hoping it wouldn't be held. I didn't feel entirely comfortable with the deck. I wasn't sure if I would've won the gold medal, though I felt confident I could win a medal."

Kim shared that he started snowboarding at age 5, encouraged by his mother. "She wanted me to do snowboard so I could become popular with girls," Kim said with a laugh. Despite initial unfamiliarity with the sport, he grew to enjoy it and aimed for an Asian Games medal sooner than expected.

Looking ahead, Kim aspires to win medals at World Cups and the Olympics, with an Olympic gold as his ultimate goal. He admires Lee, who won the 2023 world title in halfpipe at age 16, as both a role model and mentor. "He always gives me great advice on things I don't know about," Kim said. "I'd like to be on par with him."