Snowboarder Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has won the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s top award for achievements in 2022.
The 21-year-old was today presented the prestigious Lonsdale Cup in a ceremony at Lake Wānaka. The award recognises a phenomenal 2022 for Sadowski-Synnott who became New Zealand’s first ever Winter Olympic gold medallist.
The Lonsdale Cup is the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s most prestigious award and is presented annually by the New Zealand Olympic Committee to the athlete or team that has made the most outstanding contribution to an Olympic or Commonwealth Sport.
Sadowski-Synnott is the first ever winter sport athlete to win the award.
"I'm stoked to be receiving this award. Looking at some of the names on this trophy makes it pretty real just how much history there is behind this award and just how special this is," said Sadowski-Synnott.
“2022 has been a huge year for me and this is a great way to cap it off."
Sadowski-Synnott won gold and silver at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Competing in slopestyle she landed an extremely technical rail line and laced together a frontside double 1080 into a huge backside double 1080 on the final two jumps, securing the gold medal with a huge score of 92.88.
10 days later Sadowski-Synnott claimed her second medal of the Games, winning silver in an epic big air final. The medal wins in Beijing followed on from her success at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games where she won bronze in the big air.
NZOC CEO Nicki Nicol extended her congratulations to Sadowski-Synnott.
“Zoi is an incredible athlete who is at the forefront of global snowboarding and we are extremely proud of her achievements on the world’s stage,” said Nicol.
“She is a leader in sport and inspires young New Zealanders, especially young women, to live healthier lives, and follow their sporting dreams.
“It’s fantastic to be presenting this award to a winter athlete for the first time ever. Congratulations Zoi, we wish you all the best for the upcoming season.”
Sadowski-Synnott went into Beijing 2022 off the back of her most successful Northern Hemisphere season in 2020/21, landing on the podium in every competition she dropped into.
Sadowski-Synnott has had a decorated career thus far; on the world championship stage, she has won two gold medals and two silvers and is the current Snowboard Slopestyle World Champion. At the prestigious, invite only Winter X Games she has won four golds, two silvers and a bronze.
Sadowski-Synnott is coached by Snow Sports NZ High Performance Snowboard Coach Sean Thompson.
About the Lonsdale Cup
The Lonsdale Cup is the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s most prestigious award and is presented annually by the New Zealand Olympic Committee to the athlete or team that has made the most outstanding contribution to an Olympic or Commonwealth Sport.
The Lonsdale Cup was first awarded in 1961, with Sir Murray Halberg the inaugural recipient. Since then it has been won by a host of inspirational New Zealanders who have represented our country with pride and passion. Past winners include Dame Valerie Adams, Dame Lisa Carrington, Sir John Walker, Barbara Kendall, Sir Peter Snell and many more.
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