Australia’s Laura Peel fifth after failing to land back full-full-full in women’s aerials

Gold medal hope Laura Peel could only watch in envy as Xu Mengtao became Olympic aerials champion, landing a jump that the Australian has conquered many times in the last 12 months.

Xu became the first Chinese athlete to win an Olympic women’s aerials title with a brilliant jump of 108.61 points in the Super Six medal round while Peel had to settle for fifth after failing to stick her landing.

Just last month Peel scored a career high 118 points for a near perfect back full-full-full – the same jump as Xu – at a World Cup in Deer Valley that saw her arrive in Beijing as a raging gold medal favourite. But in freezing conditions at Zhangjiakou she could only manage a score of 78.56.

Australia’s other medal chance Danielle Scott was similarly devastated after she finished in 10th spot, eliminated in the first final after she was also troubled by her landing. The home crowd erupted as an ecstatic Xu screamed in delight after her jump as the only skier in the Super Six who completed it successfully.

Former world champion American Ashley Caldwell, who led after the first final, attempted the highly-difficult jump but like Peel could not stick the landing and finished fourth. Defending Olympic champion Hanna Huskova of Belarus was second with 107.95 and the bronze went to American Megan Nick (93.76).

World champion Peel, who also came fifth in PyeongChang, was consoled by Australia’s aerial royalty Alisa Camplin-Warner and Lydia Lassila.

“Pretty disappointed. I know I can jump a lot better than I can tonight so I wish I’d done that,” the 32-year-old said. “I didn’t have any excuses. It was a big jump and I needed to stretch a little bit earlier and I waited until the last flip and that was a bit too late and unfortunately I