Team USA Takes Home the Gold in the Olympics' First Mixed Team Freestyle Aerial Skiing Event

MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images

Team USA is hitting the history books!

Three American athletes have claimed the first-ever gold medal in the Olympics' first-ever mixed team aerial freestyle skiing event held at the Beijing Winter Games.

The trio of Justin Schoenefeld, Ashley Caldwell and Chris Lillis placed first at the inaugural event on Thursday. It is the United States' first gold medal in aerial freestyle skiing since 1998, according to NBC Olympics.

Schoenefeld clinched gold for the U.S. by earning 114.48 points for his back double full full full during the team's final run of the contest.

BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images

RELATED: After an 'Absolutely Stunning' Routine, Olympic Medalist Jason Brown Makes Final Beijing Appearance

After reaching the end of the course, Schoenefeld raced around the corner to embrace Caldwell and Lillis to celebrate their epic achievement.

Team USA finished the competition with 338.34 points, NBC Olympics reports. China took home the silver medal with a score of 324.22, and Canada earned bronze with a score of 290.98.

In mixed team aerial freestyle skiing, teams of three athletes with no more than two people per gender (two men and one woman, or two women and one man) compete by taking one jump and contributing it to the team's overall score, according to the outlet. Four teams advance to the final round, with each round beginning with a woman and ending with a man.

Lars Baron/Getty Images

RELATED: Russian Skater's Positive Drug Test Delaying Medal Presentation for Team Event: Reports

After earning the lowest score of the trio on his first run, Lillis gambled on a trick more difficult thank his first — a back double full full double full jump — and nailed it, earning a 135.00 score. Meanwhile, Caldwell registered an 88.86 with her back full full full jump.

Sergei Bobylev/TASS via Getty Images

Prior to Thursday's event, the U.S. had gone 24 years without a victory at the international event in aerials. Eric Bergoust and Nikki Stone were the last Americans to accomplish the feat during the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan.

To learn more about all the Olympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics, beginning February 3 on NBC.