Who can possibly stand in the way of China’s Gu Ailing?
The 21-year-old sensation showed no signs of slowing down as she clinched the women’s final in the Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe World Cup at Copper Mountain on Saturday. This victory marks the 17th of her illustrious career, cementing her place atop the all-time leaderboard.
Entering the final with confidence after ranking first in the preliminaries, Gu was joined by her Chinese compatriots Li Fanghui and Chen Zihan, who also advanced. The gold medalist from the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics displayed exceptional skill and determination throughout the competition.
In her first run, the 2021 halfpipe world champion took the lead with an impressive score of 90.50 points. Despite pushing herself even harder in her second and third runs, Gu made a couple of costly mistakes that could have jeopardized her leading position.
However, the Chinese superstar held on to secure her 14th consecutive halfpipe title, narrowly edging out Great Britain’s Zoe Atkins, who claimed runner-up honors with a score of 89.75 points. Li Fanghui finished fifth, and Chen Zihan placed eighth, showcasing the strong performance of the Chinese team.
Gu Ailing’s continued dominance in the sport not only highlights her personal achievements but also underscores China’s growing influence in winter sports on the global stage.
Reference(s):
Gu Ailing secures 17th victory at Freestyle Skiing Halfpipe World Cup
cgtn.com
