Feb. 6 (UPI) — The United States won its first medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing on Sunday with the silver-medal finish by Julia Marino in the women’s slopestyle snowboarding event.
“Stomped it for silver!” the Twitter account for Team USA posted after her second-place win.
Marino, 24, rebounded on her second run with 87.68 points at Genting Snow Park H&S Stadium after falling during an attempt at a frontside 1080 during her first run.
“I know I had three runs, and it’s not as many girls so it’s quicker laps,” Marino said in a press release after the finals. “So I just kind of tried to stay in the same mindset, reset a little bit and got ready for that.”
Zoi Sadowski Synnott took the gold medal with a score of 92.88, marking the first time New Zealand has ever won a gold medal during the Winter Olympics. Tess Coady of Australia won bronze with a score of 84.15.
“I just want to see my friends succeed and do well,” Marino said. “So, to be a part of that means a lot to me and obviously everyone wants to be on top. That’s everyone’s dream here. That’s why we’re here competing and working our hardest.”
Jamie Anderson, who won the gold medals for Team USA in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics, placed ninth Sunday. She was the first female snowboarder to ever win two gold medals.
“I get so much inspiration from Jamie and all the girls,” Marino said. “But for Jamie, me and her have been riding together a lot recently, and we’re on the same team. She’s kind of the older, wiser one here and gives me a lot of insight on how to deal with the stress and pressure.”
