Olympic champ Chloe Kim takes a mental health break: 'I just want to kind of reset'

Chloe Kim, the double Olympic snowboarding champion, has confirmed that she will not participate in the 2022-2023 season so as to focus on her mental health after experiencing what she referred to as a "draining" year. In 2018, she became the youngest woman to claim an Olympic gold medal in snowboarding, when she won the halfpipe at the Winter Games at only 17 years old. Earlier this year, she defended that title in Beijing. This is not the first time the sportswoman has taken a mental health break, CNN reports. Many believe it sets a positive precedent, encouraging others to take care of their mental health as they would their physical health.

When asked about her decision to take a break for her mental health, Kim said it was because she wanted some time to "reset." "Just for my mental health," she said in an interview with U.S. online news service Cheddar News. "(I) just want to kind of reset. I don't want to get right back into it after such a fun, but draining year, at the same time, knowing that it was an Olympic year. I just want to enjoy this moment, take it all in, and then back to it when I'm feeling ready, but as of now the plan is most definitely to go after a third medal."

This is the second time the Olympic champion, now aged 22, is taking a full season off for her mental health. After the 2018 Games, she took a similar break to focus on her studies and her mental health. Kim has always been a strong proponent of mental well-being. For instance, in response to expectations of winning gold, she said in an interview with Teen Vogue, "I’m honored that people have such high expectations for me. I try not to feel too much pressure and instead try to focus on taking care of my physical and mental health." So far, reactions to Kim's break have been incredibly positive. Many applauded her for making a tough decision that would ultimately benefit her. One person posted on Twitter, "Good for her. Self-care is essential." Another added, "Good for you, Chloe. Then you can always go back to it later." Another, still, commented, "You do what you have to to take care of yourself. I hope she feels better soon."

Just last year, fellow Olympian Simone Biles joined the self-care club. She called the decision to exit the Tokyo Olympics her "biggest win" yet, Teen Vogue reports. "Walking away from the Olympic Games was a win in itself," the gymnastics firebrand shared in conversation with Brené Brown at the Simmons Leadership Conference. "I know a lot of people thought I failed because they expected me to go out with five or six medals, but walking out of it was my biggest win. I had to put myself into consideration for one of the first times throughout my career. Most of the time, I've always put myself on the back burner, because I've always cared and thought about everybody else before myself."