Kim Geon-hui, Korean snowboard player, practices before the final of the men's snowboard halfpipe event at the Asian Winter Games at Yabuli Ski Resort in Yabuli, China, Feb. 13. Yonhap

Kim Geon-hui was awarded the gold medal in the weather-interrupted men's snowboard halfpipe event at the Asian Winter Games in China on Thursday.

Kim had finished first in the qualification round Wednesday. And when the final scheduled for Thursday was canceled due to blustery conditions at Yabuli Ski Resort, some 200 kilometers southeast of the main host city, Harbin, Kim was crowned the champion based on his qualification score of 78.00 points.

It was Korea's 13th gold medal of this Winter Asiad.

Another Korean boarder, Lee Ji-o, got the bronze with 69.75 points. Koyata Kikuchihara of Japan earned the silver with 75.00 points.

In the qualification round, the athletes each performed two runs, and the higher score of the two became their final score.

Lee Chae-un, the slopestyle champion from Saturday favored to take the halfpipe title, finished in sixth place with 43.75 points.

Kim, 16, admitted he was "really happy" to find out the final was canceled, meaning he didn't have to perform in the final.

"I got really lucky today," Kim said with a smile. "Honestly, when the officials were discussing the possibility of canceling the final, I was hoping it wouldn't be held. I didn't feel entirely comfortable with the deck. I wasn't sure if I would've won the gold medal, though I felt confident I could win a medal."

Kim said he picked up the sport at age 5 on his mother's recommendation.

"She wanted me to do snowboard so I could become popular with girls," Kim said with a laugh. "I had no idea what snowboard was at the beginning, but I started enjoying it more and more as I grew up. Winning an Asian Games medal was one of my goals but I didn't think it would happen this year."

With the Asian Games medal out of the way, Kim said, "I want to win a medal at World Cups and stand on the podium at the Olympics. My ultimate goal as an athlete is to win an Olympic gold medal."

Kim said he looks up to Lee, who won the 2023 world title in halfpipe at age 16, as his role model and mentor.

"He always gives me great advice on things I don't know about," Kim said. "I'd like to be on par with him." (Yonhap)