Winter Olympics: Mt Aspiring College elated with Zoi Sadowski-Synnott's bronze medal

Zoi Sadowski-Synnott won the bronze medal in the women's big air snowboarding. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand sports fans were glued to their TV screens today as Zoi Sadowski-Synnott claimed New Zealand's first Winter Olympics medal in 26 years.

And while there was elation all around, nothing would have likely compared to the atmosphere of the Mt Aspiring College gym.

Speaking to Radio Sport, principal Wayne Bosely said over 500 students and faculty members packed out the school gymnasium to watch the Mt Aspiring student make history.

"Everybody was literally so nervous," Bosely said. "There was a large number of staff and students in the gym watching the livestream and I must admit, personally, I just got more and more nervous as the event kept going."

The 16-year-old's score of 157.50 was enough to see her claim the bronze medal in the women's big air snowboarding competition, behind Austria's Anna Gasser in first and American Jamie Anderson in second.

"The outpouring of support and happiness when it was obvious she had won the bronze was just outstanding ... can't deny it was a great afternoon for the college."

With the result, the young Kiwi became the youngest ever Olympic medallist from New Zealand - but only for two hours, until Nico Porteous broke the record.

"As far as being a principal's concerned I've never been so proud of one of my students and also the whole school. It was quite terrific."