China's Winter Olympics team achieved a historic milestone at the 2026 Milano Cortina Games this week, as married athletes Wang Xindi and Xu Mengtao claimed individual freestyle skiing aerials gold medals within 48 hours of each other. The couple's synchronized triumphs on February 18 and 20 mark the first time in Olympic history that spouses have both topped the podium in individual events.
Xu, 35, set the stage with her commanding women's victory on Wednesday. Her husband Wang, 30, completed the golden pair on Friday with a career-defining performance scoring 132.60 points – edging out Switzerland's Noe Roth by just 1.02 points. The emotional victory came after disappointing 14th-place finishes in both the 2018 and 2022 Winter Games.
'We've trained separately but supported each other constantly,' Wang told reporters after his win. 'When Xu stood on that podium, part of me wanted to celebrate wildly, but the competitor in me knew I had to stay focused.'
The athletes' unique partnership has drawn global attention, with sports psychologists highlighting their ability to maintain professional boundaries while training together. Wang revealed their secret lies in unspoken understanding: 'Sometimes a glance communicates more than technical advice ever could.'
Their success contributes to China's strong showing in snow sports this year, building on momentum from Beijing 2022. With six gold medals already secured in Milano Cortina, Chinese athletes continue redefining winter sports excellence.
