Team USA Defends Aerials Mixed Team Gold
Chris Lillis, Kaila Kuhn and Connor Curran defended Team USA's mixed team aerials gold medal at the 2026 Olympic Games. Four years ago, Lillis teamed with Ashley Caldwell and Justin Schoenefeld to win the inaugural Olympic event in China.
After the singles events for both the men and women did not produce any medals, the U.S. athletes came into the team event hungry and ready to put together a string of strong jumps.
"All of us came in so motivated after that individual event because it didn't really go any of our ways," said Kuhn. "We came in today motivated and strong as ever. We did some of the best jumps we've ever done and put it down when it counted."
Lillis, coming off a tough individual competition in which he placed eighth, also looked to bounce back in Saturday’s team event. As the final jumper, he carried immense pressure and the team’s medal hopes on his shoulders, putting down a near-perfect jump to help bring Team USA the gold.
The winning score for Team USA came in at a dominating total of 325.35. Following the U.S. on the podium was team Switzerland with a score of 296.91 and winning the bronze medal was the Republic of China with a score of 279.68.
"I think the thing that makes the U.S. so special is the we live and jump for each other," said Lillis. "That's something in an individual sport, a lot of teams struggle with, but we do not. Connor's like a little brother to me and Kaila is family so we all jump for each other."
Although the American roster looked different from the squad that topped the podium in 2022, with Lillis the lone returner from that gold medal team, the result was the same. The U.S. delivered three clean, composed jumps to clinch a second straight Olympic title.
Kuhn and Curran are golden in their Olympic debuts. Competing on the sport’s biggest stage for the first time, both athletes delivered clutch performances when it mattered most. The athletes pushed through the underdog title to put down near-perfect jumps in the team event.
"I am pretty speechless - this all doesn't feel real," said Curran. "It's hard to put into words how much it means to represent the USA and get a gold medal with your friends and family. It means the world and I'm honored."
The gold medal marks the first of the Games for the U.S. aerials team, and the 30th overall for Team USA. It was also Team USA's 11th gold in Milano Cortina, breaking the record for the most ever gold medals won at the Winter Olympics. The victory also adds to freestyle skiing’s dominance, as the discipline has now produced a Games-leading eight medals for the United States.
RESULTS
Olympic mixed team aerials