China's freeskier Xu Mengtao on Ailing (Eileen) Gu and Su Yiming: "They will inspire more young kids"

Xu Mengtao's reaction said it all after her women's aerials gold medal victory: She let out a roar of delight that riled up the local crowd even more at Beijing 2022 and had all her competitors showing her love.

'Taotao', as she's known affectionately on tour, let all the emotion come out: the years of training, falls, injuries, hope and aspiration, the disappointment at losing out to a USA team that sprung a big surprise in the mixed team aerials silver.

"I'm just super excited. This is the first gold medal by China in women's aerials and it's just super cool," she said afterwards.

"I just wanted to do the best tricks I can do and I did it and that was all."

After her amazing gold and silver medal double in Beijing 2022, Xu sat down and spoke about two other athletes who have become national heroes in China: Ailing (Eileen) Gu and Su Yiming.

Gu, 18, is a ski superstar - the first-ever to win three medals in three different freestyle skiing disciplines at one Olympic Winter Games, after claiming halfpipe and big air gold, and silver in slopestyle.

Her childhood friend Su, who also just turned 18, claimed China's first ever snowboard gold medal in big air, after winning silver in slopestyle.

Gu "is like a sister", he says, adding that it was "a dream come true" for both of them.

Xu Mengtao talked about the positive legacy of the two teen stars at the Beijing Games.

"I think the fact that these young athletes have achieved such excellent results is actually a very good sign for us," says Xu.

"They showed that young people and athletes should be as energetic as them."

She also sees a broader approach from Chinese athletes in the future rather than just focussing on one discipline, thanks to Gu and Su.

"At the same time, I