From LIVIGNO, Italy — The United States achieved an unprecedented national milestone for gold medals secured at a Winter Olympic Games.
This achievement emerged from an athletic category where Team USA had previously found no triumph during the early stages of the competition.
Despite a partially altered lineup compared to 2022, the U.S. team secured its second successive gold in mixed team aerials, an event requiring three competitors (with one mandatory female) to each complete a single jump, their individual scores then being aggregated.
This marked the eleventh gold for the U.S. at these Games, surpassing their prior Winter Olympic best established in Salt Lake City two dozen years prior.
While no U.S. aerials athletes reached a medal position in the individual contest — facing apparent difficulties with launch velocity amidst fluctuating wind patterns — they adapted their approach for the team segment, leading to an immediate reversal of their luck.
Chris Lillis, a member of the Beijing gold-winning squad, executed the decisive concluding jump, a back double-full-full-full, and celebrated with a fist pump upon a solid landing. Despite awaiting the official score, the outcome appeared certain.
The U.S. delivered a remarkable display, executing six flawless consecutive runs (across both qualifying and final rounds) to secure the top prize.
During the qualifying round for the finals, Kaila Kuhn initiated the effort with a conventional back-full-full-full, earning 106.89 points, immediately positioning the U.S. at the pinnacle of the standings.
Connor Curran then performed a back full-double full-full, achieving an impeccable landing and gesturing upwards with his hands, reminiscent of a conductor seeking applause. Following Chris Lillis’s even superior jump, the U.S. total reached 351.23, a score notably higher than the three other nations (China, Australia, and Switzerland) that progressed to the ultimate round.
Regrettably for the American contingent, scores were reset after the initial final stage, compelling them to perform three exceptional jumps anew. However, this positioning afforded them the advantage of jumping last and adapting their tactics based on the performances of rival teams.
Kuhn commenced by almost replicating her initial round’s performance, achieving 94.44 points — placing second among the four female competitors, trailing China by merely 2.15 points.
The subsequent responsibility then fell upon the male athletes.
However, once China’s Wang Xindi attempted a more complex back double full-double full-full — and did not successfully land it — it appeared an opportunity had arisen for the Americans to seize dominance.
Curran opted for a slightly less intricate jump, executing a back full-double full-full to propel the U.S. into the lead with a cumulative score of 208.16, almost 24 points clear of China.
The stage was perfectly arranged for Lillis following China’s Li Tianma’s short landing and loss of skis on the third attempt. Lillis required 89 points to clinch the gold medal — and he achieved 117.19.
Switzerland secured the silver medal, while China claimed the bronze.
