Beijing Winter Olympics: Kiwi Zoi Sadowski-Synnott claims silver medal in snowboard big air

She's done it again.

Not content with becoming New Zealand's first Winter Olympics gold medallist, snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has added a silver to her haul in the women's big air in Beijing on Tuesday.

Entering the event as the hot favorite after her efforts in qualifying, Sadowski-Synnott delivered with two of the highest scoring jumps of the day, before Austria's Anna Gasser stomped her third run to claim the overall lead.

Sadowski-Synnott in action.
Sadowski-Synnott in action. Photo credit: Getty

Looking to steal back top spot with the final jump of the event, the 20-year-old reached to the bottom of her bag of tricks for the 1260 but couldn't stay on her feet, sealing silver to become the only New Zealander to win two Winter Olympics medals.

The win comes just nine days after her historic triumph in the women's slopestyle, engraving her name in the annals of Kiwi sporting folklore as our greatest Winter Olympian.

Combined with the big air bronze medal she won four years ago in Pyeongchang, the Wanaka native now accounts for over half of New Zealand's total medals in Winter Games history. 

Did we mention she's 20 years old?

"I'm stoked," said Sadowski-Synnott afterwards, draped in an NZ flag.

"It definitely hasn't all sunk in yet, but I can't wait to get home and take it all in with my friends and family."

In her first of three runs, Sadowski-Synnott fired an early warning shot with a crisp frontside double cork 1080 to shoot to the top of the standings with a score of 93.25.

Her second attempt was more strategic, ensuring she had a decent aggregate by nailing a backside 1080 to earn an 83.75, giving her just a 0.25 points lead on total over Gasser.

With everything on the line in the final run, Gasser saved her best for last, earning a mammoth 95.50.

The stage was set for Sadowski-Synnott to repeat her clutch heroics from last week's slopestyle, when she snatched gold with her last run.

But it wasn't to be, as the Kiwi couldn't stay upright to nab the 92.50 she needed to regain first.

"I came here to put down my best tricks and almost got there," Sadowski-Synnott told Sky Sports. "I'm still stoked with the result.

"I wanted to land it but had too much speed."

Gasser finished with an aggregate score of 185.50, followed by Sadoski-Synnott's 177.00. Japan's Kokamo Murase - just 17 years old - took bronze with 171.50.

The New Zealand team have another chance to medal on Tuesday, with

In other Kiwis in action, alpine skier Alice Robinson couldn't crack the top 10 in the downhill final, finishing in 25th place.

Freestyle skier Ben Barclay finished seventh in the men's slopestyle qualifiers to book his spot in Wednesday's final.

Teammate Finn Bilous finished 15th - three spots outside the advancing 12.