Chloe Kim has certainly inspired. Photo: Chloe Kim//Instagram
Does snowboarding influence the world? According to TIME magazine, at least the snowboarders do.
The venerable publication recently released its 2026 edition of the TIME100, a list of the world’s most influential people. According to TIME CEO Jessica Sibley, the list “recognizes the leaders, innovators, and changemakers who are redefining the future.” However among the creatives, scientists, businesspeople and politicians gracing the magazine’s pages, a humble snowboarder managed to make the cut: Chloe Kim.
Kim is certainly decorated – a two-time Olympic gold medalist who went into the 2026 games with an injured shoulder and still managed to win a silver in the women’s halfpipe event. However, her influence goes beyond competition, as gymnast Sunisa Lee explained in Kim’s Time100 blurb. “This past year, she’s continued to show what it means to compete on your own terms,” she wrote, “Chloe has been open about the pressures of elite sports and unapologetic about protecting her mental health. That kind of honesty is powerful, especially for young athletes who are watching and learning what success can actually look like.
“Chloe shows up exactly as herself, and that authenticity resonates far beyond snowboarding. Seeing Chloe lead with that confidence means so much to me as an Asian American athlete. She’s showing young girls everywhere that they belong in spaces where they may not always see themselves, and that they can succeed without changing who they are.”
Kim isn’t the only athlete to appear in the list. Other honorees include golfer Scottie Scheffler, F1 driver Lando Norris, sprinter Noah Lyles, hockey player Hilary Knight, and figure skater Alysa Liu.
As to how they came at the decision, TIME Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs explained in a letter to readers, “There is no single metric that defines influence. Our selections are led by the stories that are shaping the world each year and the people who write them. Some are well known to many, others only within their fields.”
