Zoi Sadowski-Synnott became the first New Zealander to claim a Winter Olympic gold medal, and the first to win two Winter medals with a sensational gold in the snowboard slopestyle today. Here's 13 things you might not know about our Winter Olympic star.
1) The Australian-born Sadowski-Synnott had plenty ofinternational representative options because mum Robin is an American, but it was an easy call as to which nation she'd represent.
"There was no question in her mind - she's a very, very proud Kiwi," her New Zealand dad Sean said.
2) She was said to snowboard "like a boy" - perhaps because she mainly snowboarded with boys - during her formative years.
"I try to look like I'm putting in an effort to ride," she told Wanakaapp.
New Zealand'S Zoi Sadowski Synnott competes during the women's slopestyle qualifying at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo / AP
3) The Olympics have been her dream since the age of 10.
"At school we made pictures of what we wanted to do in our lives, and mine had the Olympic rings on it," she said.
4) After her family moved to Wānaka from Sydney they leased the local Snow Park. Young Zoi didn't like skiing saying "it was weird having two separate things on your feet". She much preferred snowboarding and skateboarding.
5) She is the first snowboarder, male or female, to win consecutive slopestyle world titles, has also won four Winter X gold medals, and famously won the Big Air Olympic bronze at Pyeongchang in 2018.
New Zealand'S Zoi Sadowski Synnott trains prior to the women's slopestyle qualifying at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo / AP
6) She is also pushing the boundaries of her sport and this year became the first woman to land a pair of 1080 double corks in competition.
"You go upside down twice and do two full rotations at the same time - it felt pretty special to be able to land that," she said.
7) The 20-year-old has had to overcome Covid after testing positive and reporting "mild symptoms" late last year. She had only just returned to competition, winning a big title in Canada after a nine-month break because of a leg injury.
8) Her recognition factor has been soaring as the Games approached, with the number of Instagram followers zooming to over 84,000.
9) Not yet 17, Sadowski-Synnott was New Zealand's youngest winter Olympic medallist for just a few hours in South Korea, being quickly eclipsed by Nico Porteous who was 262 days younger.
10) Her 2018 bronze was New Zealand's first Winter Olympics medal for 26 years, not that she realised that.
New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski Synnott competes during the women's slopestyle qualifying at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Photo / AP
11) Hobbies. What hobbies?
"I don't have much of a life outside snowboarding," she said couple of years ago, when asked about how she managed to do her schoolwork.
12) Pressure? What pressure?
"I don't feel any pressure when I'm snowboarding - I don't worry about anyone else," she reckoned a few years ago (although that may change over time).
13) Boyfriend Ben Richards is a top ski racer who was born in the States to Kiwi parents. Richards has lamented that skiing is "too serious these days" and likes the fun aspect of the sport.
