Freestyle skiing: Gu lands Big Air gold, China moves to top of medals table

BEIJING: China's Eileen Gu got her maiden Olympics off to a dream start as the US born teenager landed a tricky jump to become the first freeski Big Air champion at the Beijing Games, taking the host country to the top of the medals table on Tuesday (Feb 8).

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 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 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 visualising it if that counts. Generally I've visualised for about an hour and a half before bed every day."

"Tess inspired me a lot with this jump. So even if she may be sad, this gold medal 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 Air gold.

It first appeared that Gu, a fashion model and incoming Stanford University student, still had a lot to learn when 'Air France' 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 it, holding her head in disbelief in