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LIVIGNO, ITALY — The weight of a bronze medal is often measured in grams, but for 18-year-old Yu Seung-eun (Seongbok High School), it carries the weight of two surgeries, a year of grueling rehabilitation, and the shattered silence of a hospital room.

On February 10 (KST), at the Livigno Snow Park, Yu rewrote the history of South Korean winter sports. Competing in the Women’s Snowboard Big Air final at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Yu scored a total of 171 points to claim the bronze medal. This achievement marks the first time a South Korean athlete has ever medaled in a freestyle snowboarding event at the Olympics, and only the second-ever medal in South Korean skiing/snowboarding history.

Overcoming a "Broken" Career
Yu’s journey to the podium was anything but a smooth glide. Just as she was transitioning to the senior circuit in October 2024—fresh off a silver medal at the FIS Junior World Championships—disaster struck. A severe fracture to her right ankle (malleolus) sidelined her for an entire year.

The physical pain was secondary to the mental toll of missing crucial international experience. Yet, as soon as she returned to the snow, another tragedy occurred: a fractured right wrist in November 2025.

"There were moments, after the second surgery, when I seriously considered quitting," Yu confessed in an exclusive phone interview with Maekyung. "The fear of jumping again and the exhaustion of rebuilding lost muscle felt insurmountable. But I wasn't alone. My family, my coaches, the Korea Ski Association, and the Lotte Ski & Snowboard Team kept me grounded."

The Magic of "Self-Hypnosis" and New Tech
What makes Yu’s bronze even more miraculous is that she executed maneuvers she had never successfully landed on snow before the final. She performed a Backside Triple Cork 1440 and a Frontside Triple Cork 1440 (four full rotations in the air).

"I tried the new trick during the one-hour practice session right before the finals, and I failed," Yu admitted with a laugh. "But I had this gut feeling. I told myself, 'It will work. It must work.' I practiced it hundreds of times on air mattresses during rehab, visualizing the rotation even while I was in a hospital bed."

When she stuck the landing in the final, the usually reserved teenager broke character, throwing her arms up in a rare, jubilant celebration. "I’m usually very quiet, but at that moment, the joy was just too big to contain."

A Gift for Her Mother
For Yu, the medal represents a promise kept. "I made a pact with myself the night before the race: I would win this medal so I could publicly thank everyone who stood by me. I rode with superhuman strength because I wanted to gift this beautiful, heavy bronze medal to my mother."

Yu Seung-eun’s Olympic journey isn't over yet. She is scheduled to compete in the Slopestyle event on February 16, where she aims to become the first South Korean snow athlete to win multiple medals in a single Winter Games.

"Just like in Big Air, I want to leave the course with no regrets," she said. "If you have the will, you can overcome any fear. I’ve learned that now."

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