# Olympics-Freestyle skiing-Gu lands Big Air gold, China moves to top of medals table Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-02-08 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Eileen Gu wins historic Olympic gold in freeski Big Air Meta Description: Discover how China's Eileen Gu made history as she landed a difficult jump to claim the first freeski Big Air gold at the Beijing Games, securing the host URL: https://financedigest.com/olympics-freestyle-skiing-gu-lands-big-air-gold-china-moves-to-top-of-medals-tablehtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-02-08t040635z1lynxmpei17042rtroptp4olympics-2022-freestyle-1736816254334-compressed.jpg) By Julien Pretot and Krystal Hu BEIJING (Reuters) -China’s Eileen Gu got her maiden Olympics off to a dream start as the U.S. born [teenager landed a tricky jump to become the first freeski Big Air champion](https://www.financedigest.com/snowboarding-british-teenager-brookes-becomes-the-youngest-world-champion.html "Snowboarding-British teenager Brookes becomes the youngest world champion") at the Beijing Games, taking the host country to the top of the medals table on Tuesday. With the Shougang steel mill in the backdrop, Gu landed in the final run a 1620, a trick only Tess Ledeux had achieved in competition before. The Frenchwoman settled for silver. Ledeux was leading after two runs but pressure got to the Big Air [World Cup](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-englands-houghton-will-keep-knocking-the-door-for-the-world-cup.html "Soccer-England’s Houghton will keep ‘knocking the door’ for the World Cup") leader and she struggled on her final jump, ending up in tears while the crowds erupted in cheers for Gu. Swiss Mathilde Gremaud took the bronze, unable to turn [things around in the final run](https://www.financedigest.com/4-things-to-do-if-you-run-into-problems-with-your-leased-car.html "4 Things to Do if You Run Into Problems With Your Leased Car") as she crashed. “I’ve never done the 16 before, I haven’t really prepared for it that much either,” the 18-year-old Gu said. I think I did two days on the airbag but I’ve [spent a lot of hours](https://www.financedigest.com/most-uk-smes-spent-600-hours-over-the-last-year-preparing-for-new-gdpr-legislation.html "Most UK SMEs spent 600 hours over the last year preparing for new GDPR legislation") visualizing it if that counts. Generally I’ve visualized for about an [hour and a half before bed every](https://www.financedigest.com/survey-shows-10-of-small-business-owners-get-less-than-4-hours-sleep-every-night-worrying-about-business-risks.html "Survey shows 10% of small business owners get less than 4 hours sleep every night, worrying about business risks") day. “Tess inspired me a lot with this jump. So even if she may be sad, this [gold medal](https://www.financedigest.com/going-for-gold-take-home-the-medals-with-these-pads-with-top-class-sporting-facilities.html "Going for gold: Take ‘home’ the medals with these pads with top-class sporting facilities") also belongs to her. Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, wearing a black knit hat with the Olympic rings on them, watched and [waved from the stands as Gu won the Big](https://www.financedigest.com/yield-of-dreams-why-proof-of-stake-could-drive-the-next-big-wave-in-crypto-investing.html "YIELD OF DREAMS: WHY PROOF-OF-STAKE COULD DRIVE THE NEXT BIG WAVE IN CRYPTO INVESTING") Air gold. It first appeared that Gu, a fashion model and incoming Stanford University student, still had a lot to learn when [‘Air France’](https://www.financedigest.com/air-france-cancels-55-of-short-medium-haul-flights-sept-16-due-to-strike.html "Air France cancels 55% of short, medium-haul flights Sept. 16 due to strike") Ledeux landed her double cork 1620 in the first run. The 20-year-old Frenchwoman, a three-time Winter X Games winner in Big Air, had a combined best of 187.50 after the first two runs. Gremaud was second on 182.50 and Gu was third on 182.25. Already assured of a podium finish, Gu went for Ledeux’s [double cork 1620 and achieved](https://www.financedigest.com/the-digital-voice-achieves-double-hit-on-industry-awards.html "The Digital Voice™ Achieves Double Hit On Industry Awards") it, holding her head in disbelief in the finish area under the eyes of her mother. “So my mum called me before my last jump and she told me not to do the 16. She told me to do the right 14 again and to see if I could do it better. But I kind of was adamant that I wanted to do the left 16,” said Gu, whose [phone screen](https://www.financedigest.com/almost-1-in-3-never-fix-their-damaged-phone-screens.html "Almost 1 in 3 never fix their damaged phone screens") saver has been a gold medal for months. Despite an imperfect landing, she scored 94.50 – Ledeux’s score in the first run, which took Gu’s tally up to 188.25 and earned her a 0.75 final advantage over the Frenchwoman. She has been skiing for a long [time but she is new on the big](https://www.financedigest.com/tech-ceos-wax-poetic-on-ai-big-adds-to-sales-will-take-time.html "Tech CEOs wax poetic on AI, big adds to sales will take time") stage. What she’s been doing is incredible,” said Gremaud. Ledeux said Gu “killed the game today”. “It’s competitive sport. I’m stoked with my silver medal.” Gu, who has nearly two [million followers](https://www.financedigest.com/10-million-to-be-whipped-into-ice-cream-brand-four-winters-following-acquisition.html " Million To Be Whipped Into Ice Cream Brand Four Winters Following Acquisition ") on China’s Twitter-like Weibo, will have more opportunities to increase her popularity as she participates in the slopestyle and halfpipe events in Beijing. Minutes after Gu won Big Air gold, eight of the [top 10 searches](https://www.financedigest.com/camradata-announces-top-asset-class-searches-for-investors-in-march-2018.html "CAMRADATA announces top asset class searches for investors in March 2018") on Weibo were related to her. [China have so far won three gold](https://www.financedigest.com/swiss-gold-exports-to-china-slow-but-shipments-to-turkey-surge.html "Swiss gold exports to China slow but shipments to Turkey surge") and two silver medals at the Winter Games, leading the medals tally, while Sweden is at second place with three golds. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Himani Sarkar) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---