Eileen Gu wins halfpipe gold for third medal of Beijing Winter Olympics

ZHANGJIAKOU, Hebei: California-born Chinese superstar Eileen Gu capped her hugely successful Beijing Olympics by winning freeski halfpipe gold on Friday (Feb 18) for her third medal of the Games.

The 18-year-old has been one of the stars of the Olympics, and she added the halfpipe title to a previous gold and silver medal in Beijing after another commanding performance.

Gu went top with a first-run score of 93.25 before extending her lead with 95.25 on her second attempt.

She had the title wrapped up before she even started her third and final run, and she celebrated with her coaches at the top of the halfpipe before making her way down with a relaxed and joyous victory lap.

Canada's Cassie Sharpe took silver on 90.75 points, while another Canadian, Rachael Karker, claimed bronze on 87.75.

China's Zhang Kexin required medical attention after a crash on her third run, but she was able to get up and ski unaided to the finish area.

Gu becomes the first person to win three medals in three different freestyle skiing disciplines at the Winter Olympics.

She said after qualifying on Thursday that her grandmother would be in attendance for the final to watch her ski for the first time.

She posted pictures of the pair wearing sunglasses and posing with Gu's Olympic medals on Instagram on Thursday evening.

Gu said after qualifying for the final that her grandmother was likely to be "unfazed and unimpressed" by the massive attention surrounding her famous granddaughter.

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