Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has won New Zealand's first-ever Winter Olympic gold medal for snowboarding. Video / Sky Sport
Zoi Sadowski-Synnott's family sat on the edge of their seats 10,773 km away as the 20-year-old took her place in New Zealand sporting history today.
Sadowski-Synnott became the first Kiwi athlete to be crowned a Winter Games champion, putting down a spectacular third run in the women's slopestyle final to seize gold in the most dramatic of circumstances.
With two medals to her name, the Wānaka snowboarder has won half of New Zealand's Winter Olympic medals.
🥇HISTORY MADE 🥇 Zoi Sadowski-Synnott wins New Zealand’s first ever GOLD medal at an Olympic Winter Games!
Asked how the family, who is in Wanaka, would celebrate tonight, Synnott said they would probably be having a couple of drinks with friends.
"It's pretty fricken exciting," he said. "The team of five million behind her has just been amazing."
Speaking to Newshub a few hours later, Synnott appeared to be celebrating his daughter's achievement as he swore twice in the live cross.
Mum Robin Sadowski-Synnott was near speechless when asked about her daughter's history-making medal: "Overwhelmed."
Many viewers were left asking why Zoi Sadowski-Synnott was given a Panda and not the gold medal she won. Photo / AP
After the win, many New Zealanders prepared to hear the national anthem at the Winter Olympics for the first time, but viewers will have to wait a few more hours.
Medal presentations for outdoors events are conducted later at night, meaning Sadowski-Synnott's gold will be at 8.40pm (local time) in China. In the meantime, she was presented with a stuffed panda.
Sadowski-Synnott is no stranger to Olympic history, four years ago she became New Zealand's youngest medallist when winning the big air bronze in Pyeongchang.
That was this country's second winter medal, and everything that transpired in the four years since suggested she had the potential to claim New Zealand's first gold in Beijing.
