Kiwis Shine at X Games: Harrington Takes Gold, Sadowski-Synnott and Jamieson Earn Silver

New Zealand athletes excelled on the second day of the X Games, held in Aspen, Colorado, with three additional medals, including a gold for Luca Harrington in the men’s ski slopestyle event. Despite challenging conditions and delays, the 21-year-old successfully defended his title, showcasing exceptional skill in a thrilling competition.

Harrington, who previously secured a second-place finish in the big-air event, demonstrated his prowess by leading after the first round with impressive triples. He faced a setback but rebounded with a score of 94.33 in the second round to clinch the gold. This victory marks a significant achievement, as only two skiers have previously won back-to-back golds in this event.

The head coach of Snow Sports NZ, Tom Willmott, praised Harrington’s performance amidst difficult conditions. “Luca kept in the hunt, made the most of training, and just smashed it, scoring the highest in the first run,” Willmott noted. “He got bumped down as conditions improved, only to step right up in his second run to claim the title going back-to-back following his win as a rookie last year.”

In addition to Harrington’s success, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott earned a silver medal in the women’s snowboard big air. The 24-year-old improved upon her bronze medal from last year, achieving a score of 94.66 with a spectacular second-run backside triple 1440. However, she was narrowly outperformed by Japan’s Kocomo Murase, who executed a historic backside triple cork 1620 to take the gold with a score of 96.66.

“Zoi landed a flawless back triple 14 in her first run and was able to improve on the second. Given she has been out of action for a while, it was incredible for her to build right back to her best level of riding,” Willmott added.

Inspired by his teammates, Rocco Jamieson, 19, also showcased his talent in the men’s snowboard big air. He saved his best performance for last, landing a backside 2160 to secure a silver medal with a score of 90.66. Willmott remarked that this was Jamieson’s first opportunity to successfully land the challenging trick on snow.

The performances at the X Games serve as a crucial stepping stone for these athletes as they prepare for the upcoming Winter Olympics scheduled for February 2024 in Italy. With their outstanding results in Aspen, Harrington, Sadowski-Synnott, and Jamieson are poised to make a significant impact on the global stage.