China's Xu Mengtao defends Olympic aerials crown, Team USA's Kaila Kuhn fifth

Xu Mengtao becomes first athlete to win two Olympic aerials golds, while Kuhn narrowly misses the podium.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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China's Xu Mengtao defended her Olympic freeski aerials title at the 2026 Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, scoring 112.90 to claim her second gold medal. Team USA's Kaila Kuhn, the defending world champion, finished fifth after a clean but not perfectly stuck landing on her final jump. Australia's Danielle Scott won silver, and China's Shao Qi took bronze.

Why it matters

Xu Mengtao's victory makes her the first athlete to win two Olympic aerials gold medals, cementing her legacy as one of the all-time greats in the sport. For Kuhn, the fifth-place finish was a disappointment after she had set her sights on the top of the podium, but it still represents progress from her eighth-place result four years ago.

The details

Kuhn, a 22-year-old from Boyne City, Michigan, went for a risky back-full-full-full jump on her final run, executing the three backflips with a full twist in each one cleanly, but she was unable to stick the landing, smacking her face on her knee. Her score of 99.16 left her just off the podium. Winter Vinecki, a 27-year-old veteran of the U.S. freeski team, finished sixth.

  • The women's aerials competition was originally scheduled for Tuesday but was pushed back 24 hours due to heavy snow in the Livigno area.
  • Xu Mengtao, 35, was making her fifth Olympic appearance and defended the gold medal she won in Beijing.

The players

Xu Mengtao

A 35-year-old Chinese freestyle skier who won her second consecutive Olympic gold medal in aerials, becoming the first athlete to achieve that feat.

Kaila Kuhn

A 22-year-old American freestyle skier who was the defending world champion in aerials, but finished fifth at the 2026 Winter Olympics after a near-perfect but not quite stuck landing on her final jump.

Danielle Scott

An Australian freestyle skier who won the silver medal in the women's aerials competition, helping Australia achieve its most successful Winter Olympics to date.

Shao Qi

A Chinese freestyle skier who won the bronze medal in the women's aerials competition, joining her teammate Xu Mengtao on the podium.

Tasia Tanner

A 23-year-old American freestyle skier who made her Olympic debut in the women's aerials event but did not advance to the finals, and is considering retirement due to a lengthy string of injuries.

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What they’re saying

“I'm upset I didn't medal.”

— Kaila Kuhn (nytimes.com)

“Having that world championships title is amazing, but this is a different event. I'm going for a different title.”

— Kaila Kuhn (nytimes.com)

“My body has been through enough.”

— Tasia Tanner (nytimes.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Xu Mengtao's historic second Olympic gold medal in aerials cements her legacy as one of the all-time greats in the sport, while Kaila Kuhn's fifth-place finish shows the progress she has made but also the disappointment of narrowly missing the podium in her quest for a different title.