Zoi Sadowski-Synnott made history Sunday, clinching New Zealand’s first-ever Winter Games Olympic gold medal after topping the slopestyle snowboarding competition.
The 20-year-old landed a backside 1080 on her final jump to earn a score of 92.88, securing her a spot on the top of the podium.
HISTORY FOR NEW ZEALAND! 🇳🇿 Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, winner of the first-ever #WinterOlympics gold medal for her country! pic.twitter.com/sKqa4x263O— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 6, 2022
HISTORY FOR NEW ZEALAND! 🇳🇿 Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, winner of the first-ever #WinterOlympics gold medal for her country! pic.twitter.com/sKqa4x263O
Team USA’s Julia Marino brought home silver in the event, throwing down a cab double underflip 900 and a frontside double cork 1080 in what amounted to the run of a lifetime. The 24-year-old led the field after her dominant second round, pushing Sadowski-Synnott until her final run. Marino’s second-place finish marks Team USA’s first medal of the 2022 Winter Games.
Australia’s Tess Coady rounded out the slopestyle podium, securing bronze in her Olympic debut. Sunday’s final served as redemption for Coady after tearing her ACL in qualifying for the PyeoncChang Games.
Back-to-back Olympic gold medalist Jamie Anderson missed the Olympic podium for the first time in her career, finishing ninth in the slopestyle final. The 31-year-old American fell on two of her runs, shutting her out of a gold medal three-peat.
Anderson will have another shot to take home a medal in the big air event, which begins on Feb. 14.