Two gold medals, one Chinese family at 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics

China celebrated a unique double at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, as Wang Xindi soared to gold in the men's freestyle skiing aerials – two days after his wife Xu Mengtao topped the women's podium.

The victory made the duo a rare married couple to both win individual gold medals at the Games.

"We celebrated her gold, but I was also quick to refocus on my own event," Wang said. "We've battled together for years, but we're also professionals. While I was rejoicing with her, I couldn't forget I still had my own event to compete in."

The happy husband revealed that he and his wife have found a way to balance their marriage and careers.

"During competitions, we mostly follow our separate rhythm. Sometimes she has 'pointers' she wants to share, but also doesn't want to say too much. But in my heart, I also understand what she wants to say," he added.

Wang, 30, delivered when it mattered most. The third skier to compete in the super final, he landed a near-flawless routine for 132.60 points.

Switzerland's Noe Roth came up just over a point short of answering, following a commendable effort that earned 131.58. When the score flashed on the screen, Wang dropped to his knees in the snow and roared with delight, realizing the title was his.

Competing at the Winter Olympics for the third time, Wang had never finished higher than 14th in his previous appearances, at Beijing 2022 and PyeongChang 2018.

"I didn't dare to dream about winning this gold. The Olympics aren't like the World Cups. Whether it's preparation, or degree of difficulty, it's so much higher," he said. "I want to thank myself for not giving up. When things were hard, when I was down, I'd like to give my past self a big hug."

The medal round unfolded as a duel between China and Switzerland, with four Chinese and two Swiss skiers advancing. Roth denied a podium sweep for the PRC by snagging silver. Li Tianma bagged bronze with 123.93 points, capping his debut at the Games.

"My performance in the super final was not my best. I can still do better, but I will return to training and continue to work hard. To get into the super final is already an achievement for me," Li noted. "When my coach asked me how my first Olympics felt, I said I felt quite happy. To me, it was more important to enjoy the process and accumulate experience."

China's Sun Jiaxu scored 123.42 to finish fourth, while veteran Qi Guangpu, the defending champion and a five-time Olympian, faltered on his final attempt and posted 81.00 points, placing sixth.

The 35-year-old Qi later made it known that he will not chase a sixth trip to the Games.

"Qi has been our role model all these years. Guys like him and Xu Mengtao are just irreplaceable for our sport. Their contributions to the progress of the sport is something we can all see. It's not possible for us to completely emulate the greats in our sport," Wang concluded. "We can only try to follow the path that they've paved for us and try to take things further. I hope he doesn't retire; let's continue to work hard together."