Zoi Sadowski-Synnott has made New Zealand Winter Olympics history.

The kiwi snowboarder, who headed in as fifth qualifier, has won bronze in the Big Air competition at age 16.

The Wanaka 16-year-old is just the second New Zealander, behind slalom skier Annelise Coberger to win a winter medal.

Sadowski-Synnott scored 65.50 on her first run, before a whopping 92 on her second effort to give her a combined score of 157.50.

She landed a double wildcat and a switch back 900 to score 157.50 from her two best runs.

Her third run didn't count, leaving her a nervous wait with two Japanese boarders able to knock her out of third but they both failed to land their jumps.

She admitted it was ''a pretty crazy feeling'' when she realised she could not be beaten out of the bronze medal position.

"I was sitting down at the bottom after my third run and they (officials) were like 'you have to wait because you are in third'," she said.

"I just chilled and there were some heavy hitters (to come).

"The last girl went, who wasn't on the podium. She didn't land, and it was a pretty crazy feeling. It's been a long journey."

The feeling when you win your country’s first Olympic Winter Games Medal in 26 years! 😃
Check out the grin on Zoi Sadowski-Synnott!
Well done Zoi, we can’t stop smiling either!#EarnTheFern🌿#Earned 🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/H6tDa0QvmV

— NZ Olympic Team (@nzolympics) February 22, 2018

In a thrilling finish, Austrian skier Anna Gasser stole gold from two-time slopestyle Games champion Jamie Anderson with the last jump of the event.

The best two of three scores are combined to decide the placings in the inaugural Big Air at the Games. Gasser finished with 185.0, Anderson scored 177.25 and Sadowski-Synnott 157.5.

Sadowski-Synnott appeared to have been harshly marked with her first attempt — having qualified fifth — which received a 65.5 score.

However she changed the leaderboard significantly in recording a fine 92.0 with her second, which included a switch backside 900.

Going into her final attempt, Anderson led on 177.25, with Gasser on 174.5 and Sadowski-Synnott on 157.5. Only Gasser improved her score with her last run.

Sadowski-Synnott's coach Mitch Brown has told Sky it's immense.

"I can't believe it, I'm so proud of Zoi she rode exeptional today and stomped it. We tried to up for a front 10 in the third and final run but wasn't able pull it off but the first two scores were enough to keep her in third.

"I'm so proud of her."

Annalise Coberger was previously New Zealand's only winter Olympics medallist, winning silver in the slalom in 1992.