Ashley Caldwell (2nd L) of the United States celebrates during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)
CHONGLI, Zhangjiakou, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States stunned hosts China to grab the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials title at the Beijing Winter Olympics here on Thursday night.
Thanks to a brilliant performance by Christopher Lillis who got 135.00 points for his back double full-full-double full, a trick boasting a difficulty degree of 5.000, the United States overtook China for the leading position.
Finally, the United States collected 338.34 points to win the gold. China finished second with 324.22 points, followed by Canada with 290.98 points.
Lillis, 23, is a two-time World Championships medalist in 2021, winning aerials silver and team bronze. In 2016, at age 17, he was the youngest man ever to win a World Cup aerials gold in Minsk.
On Thursday, Lillis raised the difficulty degree just before his attempt in Final 2 after his female teammate Ashley Caldwell got only 88.86 points in her attempt with difficulty degree of 4.293.
Chinese veteran Jia Zongyang, competing in his fourth Winter Olympics, followed Lillis to come out but did not change the difficulty degree of 4.425. However, his landing was a waterloo-like collapse and was awarded only 96.02 points.
Although the last Chinese athlete Qi Guangpu beat American Justin Schoenefeld by around eight points with the same difficulty degree of 4.525, it was not enough for China to level up.
China, the United States, Switzerland, the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), Canada and Belarus competed in the event's Olympic debut. Each team sent one female and two male athletes to the duel, and the team standings are decided by the sum of the points earned by every competitor who has only one chance of play.
After Final 1, the top four teams advance but the earned points will not be brought into Final 2 in which the medals will be decided.
China and the United States were considered title favorites.
The Chinese trio of Xu Mengtao, Jia Zongyang and Qi Guangpu finished first in Final 1 with 336.89 points, followed by the United States with 330.55, Canada in 326.94, and Switzerland in 300.62, while the ROC and Belarus were eliminated.
In July 2018, the International Olympic Committee decided to add seven medal events to Beijing 2022. They are women's monobob, big air freestyle skiing for men and women, plus mixed team events in short track speed skating, ski jumping, ski aerials and snowboard cross. ■
Team of the United States celebrate after the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)
Justin Schoenefeld of the United States competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022.
Christopher Lillis competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)
Justin Schoenefeld of the United States competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
Ashley Caldwell of the United States competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Christopher Lillis of the United States competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Xu Mengtao of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)
Christopher Lillis of the United States competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Team of the United States celebrate during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Xu Mengtao of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Athletes react during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Gold medalists Ashley Caldwell, Christopher Lillis and Justin Schoenefeld of the United States (C), silver medalists Xu Mengtao, Jia Zongyang and Qi Guangpu of China (L), bronze medalists Marion Thenault, Miha Fontaine and Lewis Irving of Canada celebrate during the flower ceremony of the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Christopher Lillis (R) of the United States competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Jia Zongyang of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Xu Mengtao of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Jia Zongyang of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Jia Zongyang of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Athletes react after the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Team of China celebrate after the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Qi Guangpu, Xu Mengtao and Jia Zongyang (L to R) of China hug each other after winning the silver medal in the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Silver medalists Jia Zongyang, Xu Mengtao and Qi Guangpu (L to R) of China celebrate during the flower ceremony of the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Jia Zongyang, Xu Mengtao and Qi Guangpu (L to R) of China celebrate during the flower ceremony for the skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Qi Guangpu of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)
Xu Mengtao (L) of China hands Bing Dwen Dwen to Ashley Caldwell (R) during the flower ceremony for the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Xu Mengtao of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
Xu Mengtao of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Haofei)
Qi Guangpu of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Wu Zhuang)
Photo taken on Feb. 10, 2022 shows Xu Mengtao of China during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Wu Zhuang)
Qi Guangpu of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)
Jia Zongyang of China competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)
Justin Schoenefeld of the United States competes during the freestyle skiing mixed team aerials final at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 10, 2022. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)
