Crashes cost China third freeski aerials title as United States retain mixed team gold
Americans win after failing to reach podium in women’s and men’s finals, where China took golds through married pair Wang Xindi, Xu Mengtao
The United States won gold in the Olympics freestyle skiing mixed team final on Saturday, retaining their 2022 title, while Switzerland won silver and favourites China claimed bronze.
The Americans stormed to victory after failing to reach the podium in this week’s women’s and men’s finals, where China took golds through husband-and-wife couple Wang Xindi and Xu Mengtao.
The Chinese medal bid was spoiled by mistakes from Wang and Li Tianma, the bronze medallist in the men’s, who both crashed on landing after high-difficulty jumps.
The winning US team included Kaila Kuhn, gold medallist at the 2025 world championships in women’s and mixed team aerials, who finished fifth in Wednesday’s Olympic women’s final.
Her teammates were Christopher Lillis and Connor Curran, who were eighth and 12th respectively in the men’s final on Friday.
The Americans scored 325.35 out of a possible total of 450. The Swiss team, including men’s silver medallist Noe Roth, got 296.91 points, while China posted 279.68.