ZHANGJIAKOU − Snowboarder Zoi Sadowski Synnott produced the “best run of my life” to win New Zealand’s first Winter Olympics gold medal ever at the Beijing Games today.
The 20-year-old − clad in all black − came from behind to snatch the women’s snowboard slopestyle title with an incredible final run − the last of the competition.
She landed a gargantuan backside double 1080 trick on her final jump to earn a score of 92.88 − overtaking American Julia Marino for the lead.
Synnott raised her arms in celebration before being mobbed by Marino and Australian bronze medallist Tess Coady as her teammates waved New Zealand and silver fern flags nearby.
“Honestly, it’s absolute disbelief but it probably means more to me to win New Zealand’s first Winter Olympic gold,” said Synnott, who was born in Sydney but moved to New Zealand aged six.
“It makes me super proud to be a Kiwi.”
New Zealand had previously won one silver and two bronze medals at the Winter Olympics, including a third-place finish for Synnott in the Big Air competition at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
“It’s New Zealand’s first Winter Olympic gold medal and I hope that I made them proud and that they’ll celebrate for me,” she said.
Women’s slopestyle in Pyeongchang ended in controversy when athletes said the final should have been cancelled because of dangerous conditions.
But there were no such concerns today with riders grinding along rails, launching off jumps and even sliding off the roof of a snow house under clear blue skies and little wind.
Synnott took the lead after the first run but was overtaken by Marino after the second attempt − meaning the New Zealander only had one more shot to win gold.
“I knew before I dropped in that if I landed the run that I set out to do, then I would win gold,” she said.
“It was the best run of my life.”
Marino and Coady immediately left the waiting area to pile onto Synnott in celebration with Marino describing the winner as “an inspiration”.
“I’m so happy for her − she’s the one that’s taking the sport to the next level and I’m just happy to be a part of it and be there with her,” Marino said.
Marino finished second on 87.68 points while Coady took bronze on 84.15.
Two-time defending champion Jamie Anderson of the United States finished well out of the running in ninth place on 60.78 points.
Now, Synnott leads the way in women’s slopestyle and she is confident the sport will continue to grow.
“It’s been a pretty crazy four years − you kind of know what it’s going to take to be on the top of the podium but I kind of owe it all to all the other girls for pushing me,” she said.
“I think it’s going in the right direction and it’s not really slowing down.” – AFP, February 6, 2022
