China’s Eileen Gu straight-aired a victory lap in the women’s freeski halfpipe final on Friday with tears of joy, wrapping up a purely dominating performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics by claiming her second gold and third medal of the Games.
The 18-year-old from San Francisco flexed on her second run with a near-perfect combination of tricks and outstanding amplitude, reaching nearly 14 feet above the 22-foot superpipe on an opening rightside cork 900 Buick grab before hitting back-to-back alley-oop flat spins to close for a 95.25.
“It has been two straight weeks of the most intense highs and lows I’ve ever experienced in my life,” Gu said. “It has changed my life forever. The second I landed the last 16[20] in big air I knew my life was never going to be the same … never imagined that I’d walk away with another silver and another gold.”
SEE MORE: LIVE UPDATES: Women’s freeskiing halfpipe at the Winter Olympics
The reigning world halfpipe champion and Youth Olympic gold medalist won last week’s freeski big air Games debut for gold, and followed up Tuesday with silver in slopestyle behind Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland.
Gu, who speaks fluent Mandarin, captured the event’s overall World Cup crystal globe last month after an undefeated season, with wins at the Copper Grand Prix, back-to-back Calgary Snow Rodeo contest and the Mammoth Grand Prix.
SEE MORE: Eileen Gu puts down ‘safety’ run of 93.25 in halfpipe final
Two Canadians took silver and bronze: 2018 Olympic gold medalist Cassie Sharpe with a 90.75, returning from a 2021 ACL injury, and Rachael Karker with an 87.75, runner-up to Gu at the 2021 World Championships.
Americans Hanna Faulhaber, Brita Sigourney and Carly Margulies finished sixth, 10th and 11th.
SEE MORE: How to watch Freestyle Skiing at the 2022 Winter Olympics on NBC and Peacock
SEE MORE: Women’s Freeski Halfpipe Final
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