New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski-Synnott claimed silver in Wednesday's women's snowboard slopestyle, as the defending Olympic champion finished with 87.48 points — just 0.35 points short of a gold medal.
Japan's Mari Fukada won the event in her Olympic debut. The 18-year-old scored 87.83 on her third and final run, while Fukada's teammate Murase Kokomo took bronze with 85.80 points.
Sadowski-Synnott went last, saving her best performance for the crucial third run. The 24-year-old landed her tricks cleanly and jumped into second place with her closing effort. However, Fukada's earlier score held up for gold.
This marks Sadowski-Synnott's fifth Olympic medal across three Winter Games, tallying one gold, three silvers, and one bronze. The Wānaka resident became the first snowboarder in history to win five Olympic medals.
"What a special athlete and person," coach Tom Willmott said afterward. "Zoi is just amazing, and she does it time and time again."
Sadowski-Synnott qualified first for the final, posting 88.08 in the preliminary round after winning silver in this year's Big Air competition. The New Zealand Olympic Committee went on to name her Sportswoman of the Year at the Halberg Awards this week.
After winning slopestyle gold at Beijing 2022, Wednesday's silver extends Sadowski-Synnott's Olympic podium streak, as she remains one of the sport's most consistent performers on the biggest stage.
