浙侨英频 ?Gu shines in Olympic debut

发布时间：2022-02-10

Gu Ailing (center) celebrates on Tuesday with silver medalist Tess Ledeux (right) of France and bronze medalist Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland after winning the women's freeski big air final at the Beijing Winter Olympics. FENG YONGBINCHINA DAILY

 

Teenager wins women's big air event to stay on course for three gold medals

With the world hailing the arrival of a new sports superstar, China's freeski Olympic champion Gu Ailing wants to remain the girl next door to inspire more youngsters to push their own boundaries.

Carrying the host nation's biggest medal hope on the snow, Gu, a versatile skier competing in three events at the Beijing Winter Olympics, delivered big time on Tuesday. The 18-year-old won the freestyle skiing big air event with dazzling maneuvers.

Gu was pushed hard by silver medalist Tess Ledeux of France, who finished the first two runs on top. On her third and final run, Gu gambled on a trick she'd never done in competition before – a left double cork 1620 jump that involves four-and-a-half spins while rotating two times off-axis in the air.

To a rousing reaction from the crowd, Gu landed the maneuver to take the gold with a winning total of 188.25 points, which included 93.75 from her first run after she landed a double cork 1440. Competitors do three runs and only the two best scores count toward the final total.

Ledeux had a chance to win the gold, but failed to nail her final run. She had to settle for the silver, while Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland took the bronze.

I've thought about it a lot, but to put it down (left double cork 1620 jump) for the first time on my third run in the first Olympic freeski (big air) final in history means the world to me, Gu said after her victory.

My mom called me asking me to play (it) safe before the third run as I'd secured a medal. But I didn't listen to her and gave it a go, not trying to beat anyone but to elevate myself to the next level.

Ledeux, the 2019 world champion in the event, slumped to the snow in tears after missing out on the gold, but was gracious in her praise of Gu, despite her own disappointment.

She works very hard, 20-year-old Ledeux said of Gu. There is a very good... (atmosphere) in freestyle skiing in general. She is very focused on her job, and she is an amazing athlete.

Gu was born in the United States to a Chinese mother and US father. When she announced in June 2019 that she would represent China at the Beijing Winter Olympics, she was subjected to criticism and unfair comments on social media in the US that her decision was driven by commercial benefits from the host nation.

Gu said at a news conference on Tuesday she was not trying to make anyone happy when she was questioned on the criticism she had faced following her decision to represent China.

I know that my reasons for making the decisions I do are based on a greater common interest and something that I feel is for the greater good, she said.

And so if other people don't really believe that's where I'm coming from, then that looks like they do not have the empathy to empathize with a good heart, perhaps because they don't share the same kind of morals that I do.

Gu's victory at the Big Air Shougang venue in western Beijing was China's third gold medal of the Games.

After her golden start, Gu, a two-time world champion, will contest the halfpipe and slopestyle events in the co-host city, Zhangjiakou, Hebei province, starting on Sunday.

If she succeeds in her multi-event campaign, she will be recognized as the most versatile freestyle skier at a Winter Olympics and drive China's burgeoning winter sports market.

Despite her newfound fame, Gu insisted she'd continue living her life like any other teenager.

What Am I already an international superstar now No way! I cannot even imagine that, an excited Gu told reporters. I feel I am still an ordinary 18-year-old girl who just loves freestyle skiing. I still get to call my grandma after this, look after my cat, hang out with friends and play games on my phone.

She said she wanted to send a message to young people, especially girls interested in winter sports, to just go for it and try to push the boundaries as much as they can.

Gu has pushed boundaries her entire life. She took to the slopes in North Lake Tahoe, California, at age 8.

Today, Gu is an Olympic champion, an incoming Stanford University student, a part-time fashion model and an accomplished piano player.

She is also on track to become a bright sports star in the world's most populous nation. Gu is called the Snow Princess by her 3.4 million followers on Sina Weibo.

Gu prides herself on understanding the two cultures she straddles, and her affinity with China is strengthened by her family's ties with Beijing.

 

【背景阅读】

创造历史！谷爱凌自由式滑雪大跳台奇迹逆转夺冠

当所有人都以为，谷爱凌最后一跳要拿出熟悉的动作，与瑞士人玛蒂尔德·格雷莫争夺一枚银牌时，她却选择挑战此前从未做出的超高难度动作，并成功反超了一路领先的法国人苔丝·勒德。

苔丝第三跳失误，谷爱凌获得冠军，全场观众沸腾了！

8日，北京首钢滑雪大跳台，北京冬奥会自由式滑雪女子大跳台决赛中，谷爱凌第三跳挑战从未做出的超高难度动作成功，上演超级大逆转，奇迹般夺冠。

谷爱凌拿到的这枚金牌意义非凡！这是自由式滑雪大跳台项目的冬奥会历史首金，是北京冬奥会中国代表团雪上项目首金，也是中国女子雪上项目在冬奥会上获得的首枚金牌。

谷爱凌的三跳，逆转取胜，跌宕起伏，惊心动魄！

第一跳，谷爱凌做出偏轴转体两周1440度动作，稳稳落地后，得到93.75分。倒数第二位出场的法国名将苔丝，直接放出赛前不愿多说的“秘密大招”——偏轴转体两周1620度，这是目前女子大跳台比赛中的最高难度动作。苔丝凭借“独门绝技”拿到94.50分后暂列第一。

第二跳，谷爱凌选择了一个难度相对低的偏轴转体两周1080度动作，获得88.5分。前两跳不错的成绩为她第三跳“放手一搏”留下了机会。

苔丝的第二跳挑战倒滑偏轴转体两周1440度成功，拿到93分。两跳总分187.50分，苔丝强势领先。

第三跳，全场观众屏住呼吸，静待谷爱凌出场！

偏轴转体两周1620度，落地后，谷爱凌掩面而泣！

94.50分，最后一跳反超，综合最佳两跳得分，谷爱凌以总分188.25分逆袭夺冠！

谷爱凌说：“第三跳出发前，我知道冲一下自己从没做出的动作，有可能夺得金牌，我决定放手一搏。”

赛后，获得铜牌的格雷莫和谷爱凌过去安慰遗憾获得第二名的苔丝。谷爱凌说：“我们三个最后一起感受了这些复杂的情绪。我今天能够获胜，是她们激励了我，我很感谢她们。我们一起做到了！”

格雷莫说：“谷爱凌和苔丝之间的竞争非常激烈，也非常鼓舞人心，我向她们表示敬佩。”

国际奥委会主席巴赫说：“谷爱凌是令人赞叹的，其他两位获得奖牌的运动员也是。这是一场惊险刺激、让人难以呼吸的比赛。”

 

来源新华社