Olympic snowboarding medalist Chloe Kim has publicly disclosed a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), describing the revelation as a turning point that helped her manage years of personal challenges. The 26-year-old athlete, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, shared that receiving the diagnosis allowed her to finally understand her experiences after struggling for several years.
Public reaction to media framing
The disclosure sparked a notable backlash against media coverage of the announcement. Fans and observers across the United States criticized a headline published by the New York Post, which identified Kim primarily as “Miles Garrett’s girlfriend” rather than focusing on her status as a legendary Olympic athlete. Critics argued that the framing minimized her individual accomplishments in favor of her relationship with the NFL star.
According to reporting by The Spun, social media users expressed frustration over the editorial decision to lead with her partner’s name. One commenter noted that while it might seem like a minor detail, it felt “absurd” to characterize a three-time Olympic medalist in such a manner. Other fans pointed to the disparity in professional achievements, noting that Kim’s career in snowboarding has been defined by multiple historic victories on the global stage.
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Chloe Kim wins multiple Olympic medals
Kim’s professional record supports the criticism regarding the media’s framing of her identity. She made international headlines at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, where she won gold in the women’s halfpipe at age 17, becoming the youngest Olympic champion in the event. She successfully defended that title at the 2022 Beijing Games.
Her Olympic success continued at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, where she secured a silver medal. Throughout her career, Kim has remained a dominant force in the sport, often cited for her technical ability and influence on a younger generation of snowboarders, including South Korean prospect Choi Ga-on. Kim has actively mentored Choi, assisting with her training in the United States and publicly supporting her competitive success.
Chloe Kim finds relief in ADHD diagnosis
In her public comments regarding the diagnosis, Kim emphasized the sense of relief that accompanied the medical confirmation. “Actually, I recently found out I have ADHD,” she stated, noting that she had been struggling for several years before consulting a doctor. She described the experience of being open with her physician as a moment where “everything suddenly made sense.”
While some media coverage, including the New York Post, acknowledged that Kim’s professional achievements were “phenomenal” even without the context of her diagnosis, the editorial focus on her personal life drew sustained criticism from a broad segment of the sports community.
Relationship with Miles Garrett
Kim and Miles Garrett have been in a public relationship since May 2023. The two have maintained a presence in each other’s professional lives, with Garrett previously expressing appreciation for their shared time in Los Angeles following his trade to the Rams. Despite the public nature of their relationship, the criticism directed at recent headlines remains rooted in the distinction between their respective professional identities and the way those identities are presented to the public.
