New Zealand Snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott Eyes 2026 Gold

When Zoi Sadowski-Synnott won New Zealand's first Winter Olympic gold medal in 2022, she did more than claim a podium spot. She showed the world that champions can come from anywhere, even a small island nation 12,000 miles from the nearest major snowboarding competition.

The 24-year-old from Wanaka grew up next to a ski resort on New Zealand's South Island, watching foreign athletes train during their off-season. At 12, she watched New Zealand women compete in the first Olympic slopestyle event and knew she wanted to join them.

Getting there meant leaving home each October and not returning until May, living out of a suitcase for months while competitors from the U.S. and Europe went home after a few weeks away. "It is hard coming from New Zealand in that sense," Sadowski-Synnott told the Associated Press. "But I've been doing it for a really long time, so I'm used to it and, yeah, I love it."

The dedication paid off. She won bronze in big air at the 2018 Games when she was just 16, then claimed gold in slopestyle and silver in big air in Beijing. She recently became the first woman to land a triple cork in competitive slopestyle, a move that involves spinning and flipping through the air in ways that sound impossible.

After missing the entire 2023-2024 season with an ankle injury, Sadowski-Synnott roared back to win her third world championship in 2025. She's now the favorite to defend her slopestyle title at the Milan Cortina Games next month.

Why This Inspires

Sadowski-Synnott represents something bigger than medals. New Zealand's government has increased funding for winter sports during this Olympic cycle, building on her success to support the next generation of athletes. Freestyle skier Luca Harrington and Alpine skier Alice Robinson are now medal hopefuls too.

Her approach to risk sets her apart. She refuses to play it safe, even with the Olympics around the corner. "In snowboarding you can't have that mindset," she said about holding back on difficult tricks. "You gotta do the tricks when you can and just be all in."

That all-in attitude built on an underdog spirit is changing what's possible for winter athletes from the Southern Hemisphere. Sadowski-Synnott joins racing legend Scott Dixon and golfer Lydia Ko on New Zealand's short list of global sports stars, carving her own path on snow and ice.

When she competes in Italy next month, she'll carry the hopes of a nation that's learned to punch above its weight.