Sadowski-Synnott unseats Anderson in slopestyle, USA's Marino grabs silver

New Zealand's Zoi Sadowski Synnott (L) waits to see her score beside Australia's Tess Coady (C) and USA's Julia Marino after competing in the snowboard women's slopestyle final run during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Genting Snow Park H & S Stadium in Zhangjiakou on February 6, 2022. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) (Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) (Afp Via Getty Images)

New Zealander Zoi Sadowski-Synnott ascended the throne in women's slopestyle Sunday, knocking off two-time defending gold medalist Jamie Anderson of the U.S. who finished ninth, while Anderson's teammate Julia Marino captured silver for Team USA's first medal of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Sadowski-Synnott, 20, hit a huge backside 1080 on the final jump to clinch the victory. The two-time world champion and 2018 Olympic big air bronze medalist cheered with fellow competitors after her winning score of 92.88 was announced.

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RESULTS

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Connecticut native Marino, who finished 11th in the event at the last Games, put together the run of her career in the second round to jump to first place. The East Coaster set down a perfect cab double underflip 900 on "The Matrix" jump and ended with a frontside double cork 1080 on the last hit.

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Reigning world bronze medalist Tess Coady took bronze in her Olympic debut. The Australian was injured in practice during the PyeongChang Games and never competed.

Anderson, who fell on two of her runs and was knocked off line on a quarter-pipe hit in the other, has another chance to earn a medal in big air.