Sharonville Native Helps USA Win Olympic Gold in Freestyle Skiing

21-year-old Connor Curran was part of the winning Team USA aerial skiing trio.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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A 21-year-old Sharonville native, Connor Curran, was one of three Team USA athletes who secured the United States' 11th gold medal of the 2026 Olympics by winning the mixed aerial freestyle skiing event on February 21st. Curran, along with teammates Kalia Kuhn and Christopher Lillis, beat out Switzerland and China to claim the top spot on the podium.

Why it matters

Aerial freestyle skiing is one of the most thrilling and technically demanding events in the Winter Olympics, requiring athletes to launch themselves off a ramp and perform complex acrobatic maneuvers mid-air before landing on a steep slope. Curran's gold medal performance represents a major achievement for both himself and the United States, showcasing the country's depth of talent in this challenging discipline.

The details

In the mixed aerial freestyle skiing event, teams of three athletes from each country compete, with each member performing two jumps that are scored by a panel of judges. Curran, Kuhn, and Lillis combined for a total score of 325.31, besting Switzerland by about 30 points and China by around 45 points. Individually, Curran scored 113.72, Kuhn scored 94.4, and Lillis scored 117.19.

  • The mixed aerial freestyle skiing event took place on February 21, 2026 at the Winter Olympics.
  • Curran scored 12th overall in the individual men's aerials competition on February 19, 2026.

The players

Connor Curran

A 21-year-old native of Sharonville, Ohio who was part of the gold medal-winning Team USA aerial skiing trio at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Kalia Kuhn

One of Connor Curran's teammates on the gold medal-winning Team USA aerial skiing trio at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Christopher Lillis

One of Connor Curran's teammates on the gold medal-winning Team USA aerial skiing trio at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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What’s next

Curran and his teammates will be celebrated for their Olympic achievement when they return home to the United States.

The takeaway

Curran's gold medal performance showcases the depth of talent in the United States' freestyle skiing program, and his local roots in Sharonville, Ohio make his achievement all the more inspiring for the Cincinnati community.