by sportswriters Dong Yixing and Xiao Yazhuo
CHONGLI, China, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- With a stunning final run, Olympic champion Gu Ailing claimed the women's halfpipe gold at the FIS Freeski World Cup here on Saturday, marking another confident stride toward the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympic Winter Games.
This victory, her third consecutive World Cup win in Chongli, marked a season already defined by significant personal evolution. The fearless talent of Beijing 2022 is navigating her second Olympic cycle with refined wisdom.
"I hope the current Gu Ailing is smarter and more rational than before," Gu told Xinhua prior to the competition, a mindset that resonates as a core theme of her current journey.
"I feel like I've never been better in my life," Gu revealed, reflecting on her recovery from an August training accident in New Zealand. She explained that the incident was a "man-made accident" beyond her control, which differed from a technical failure.
"It actually didn't affect my confidence too much. Because sometimes if I do a trick and fall, then I might have a shadow in my heart when doing that trick again later."
The past few years have forced the prodigy to confront a cycle of injuries, which caused her to miss major events like the World Championships and the Asian Winter Games. She now critiques her former mindset with hard-earned clarity.
"What was difficult was that I often competed injured, and I won every time," Gu admitted. "This led to me getting more and more injured because every time I was hurt, I thought it was fine. I competed injured last time and won, so I'll compete again this time."
"So I think this way of thinking itself was wrong. Actually, winning one competition is already very hard," added the 22-year-old.
Arriving in Chongli after a 29th-place finish in slopestyle qualification at the chaotic season opener in Stubai, Austria due to severe weather condition, Gu credits this season with bringing profound maturity.
"I probably, especially this year, have matured a lot. I see injuries as a real challenge now. Before, I just didn't think about it and that was it," she explained.
"A big part of competing in the Olympics is actually making it to the Olympics, getting through the season smoothly, making it to February in Milan. That in itself is a major goal, and many people already can't achieve it."
Navigating her second Olympic cycle, Gu insists on treating each experience as fresh. "I feel like every competition I go through is like my first one. This is my first time having a second Olympic cycle," she said. "I compete like I've never lost, I train like I've never won."
Beyond the competition, her core mission remains a powerful driver. Seeing the crowded slopes and long lift lines in Chongli, a co-host of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games, filled her with joy.
"For me, this might be a moment when a goal is achieved," she said. Her lifelong aim has been to inspire participation, particularly among young girls. "If even one young girl started skiing because of me, then I feel my goal is achieved. This pride lasts a lifetime."
"Since I was eight years old, I've had this goal. If you have a platform, I think you actually have a responsibility to society," she added. ■
