High school student Choi Ga-woon wins South Korea's first gold medal... Also owns a 'Olympic edition' watch worth 9.5 million won [2026 Milan]

Female high school student and gold medalist Jiwon Choi (Sehwa High School) is expected to receive an expensive watch worth 9.5 million won due to her injury.

Choi Ga-on won the gold medal in the women's halfpipe skiing and snowboarding final of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, held at the Rivigno Snow Park in Italy on the 13th (Korean time), scoring 90.25 points, surpassing Chloe Kim (88.00 points) and Miki Ono (Japan, 85.00 points). Choi Ga-on became the first-ever Olympic gold medalist in South Korean skiing history and the first gold medalist for the South Korean delegation at this competition. She also set a new record as the youngest gold medalist in this event at the Winter Olympics at the age of 17 years and 3 months.

Choi Ga-woon, who wrote the history of South Korean Winter Olympics, has become the protagonist of the "Olympic Edition" watch. Omega, which has been the official timekeeper of the Olympics since 1932, announced that it will present the "Olympic Edition" watch (Speedmaster 38mm Olympic Edition Timepiece) to the first medalist of the Korean delegation ahead of this event. The watch, which is sold for 9.5 million won on the official website, features a high price and characteristics such as a blue ceramic bezel ring.

Omega has held the "Olympic Edition Watch" award ceremony at the 2012 London Summer Olympics, 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics, 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, and 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. At the 2012 London Games, Jin Jong-oh (shooting) was the first to receive the watch, followed by Lee Sang-hwa (speed skating - 2014 Sochi), the men's archery team (2016 Rio), Hwang Dae-hun and Choi Min-jung (short track speed skating - 2022 Beijing), and Oh Sang-wook (fencing) and Oh Ye-jin (shooting - both in 2024 Paris).

Bae Jong-hyun, reporter bjh1025@edaily.co.kr