Team USA clinched back-to-back Olympic gold in mixed team aerials after a dominating performance at Livigno Aerials & Moguls Park on Saturday.
Kaila Kuhn, Connor Curran, and Chris Lillis each landed strong tricks for a combined total of 325.35 points, defeating Switzerland by more than 28 points. In a surprising twist of events, Switzerland snagged silver while China, the heavy gold-medal favorite coming into this event, claimed bronze.
"We came in today motivated, strong as ever," Kuhn said. "We adjusted our jumps. We did some of the best jumps we've ever done, and we put it down when it counted, so we are so ecstatic right now.”
At the 2022 Beijing Games, Lillis — alongside Ashley Caldwell and Justin Schoenefeld — stunned a dominant Chinese team on their home turf to take home. Just like Beijing, the gold came down to two teams: China, with two newly crowned Olympic champions, and the United States, with two youngsters and a seasoned veteran.
Xu Mengtao landed a back full-full-full, the same trick that won her back-to-back Olympic gold on Wednesday. Kuhn matched her with a triple of her own but fell a little over two points behind Xu. After a crash by Wang Xindi on one of the harder tricks in this event, Curran stomped a full-double full-full to give the U.S. a decent lead heading into the third jump.
Li Tianma adjusted his own jump to five twists to try to put China back in contention for gold; however, he wasn't able to connect on the landing and fell head over heels, losing both skis in the process. It all came down to Lillis, who nailed a double full-full-full and sealed the win for the U.S.
“No matter what event, I think the result is ultimately a good one," Xu said. "It’s what we have worked for over these past few years. We may be competing in Italy, but we have so many supporters in the crowd that it feels like we’re home."
The Swiss team came into this event flying somewhat under the radar. A medal looked uncertain after Lina Kozomara crash-landed her back lay-full, but Switzerland brought out the big guns for the last two jumps. Pirmin Werner (SUI) stomped down a double full-full-double full for 123 points while Noe Roth, the first person to successfully land the Hurricane jump at the Olympic Games since 2010, laid out a clean trick with five twists for 129.54 points, two massive scores that vaulted them over the Chinese.
"You could see today that everyone, men’s or women's finals, everyone is pushing the sport so hard," Werner said. "That's just wonderful to see that everyone goes to that limit."
Australia's Danielle Scott, Abby Willcox, and Reilly Flanagan finished 4th after advancing past the first round of the final.
The U.S. started off their title defense strong, with Kuhn, Curran, and Lillis landing solid jumps to snag the lead in the first round of the final with a combined 351.23 points. Five of eight women competing in the final, including Kuhn and Xu, attempted triples, with three successfully landing them.
The U.S. may struggle with consistency in individual aerials events, but there is no doubt that they are one of the most dominant mixed teams in the world. Lillis followed up his 2022 Olympic success at worlds with Caldwell and Quinn Dehlinger one year later before going on to claim his second consecutive world title with Dehlinger and Kuhn in Engadin, Switzerland.
Curran replaced Dehlinger in this lineup after Dehlinger withdrew from the Games following a knee injury in training. Curran wasn't one to fall to pressure, however, as he nailed both of his jumps in convincing fashion. The 21-year-old made his Olympic debut on Friday in men's aerials, where he finished in 12th. Lillis placed 8th while Kuhn finished 5th in women's aerials.
"It's a bummer with Quinn," Curran said. "He's my teammate, and him and Chris have always been like older brothers to me, and I know he really wanted to jump. I'm very glad I could step up and take his place but, either way, it doesn't matter who you put on Team USA. We will walk away with a gold medal."