Australian medal contenders Laura Peel and Dani Scott make ‘gut-wrenching’ admission after Winter Olympics aerials final

Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics gold medal hope Laura Peel could only watch in envy as a key rival won the final with a jump 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 favourite for gold.

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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 estatic Xu screamed in delight after her jump as the only skier in the Super Six who completed it successfully.

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Former world champion American Ashley Caldwell, who led after the first final, attempted the highly-difficult jump but like Peel couldn’t 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).

Xu shared a touching moment afterwards with friend and former rival Lydia Lassila, eight years after they shared the Sochi 2014 podium as silver and bronze medallists.

“You understand this: now you are Olympic champion,”