Zhangjiakou, Beijing, February 14, 2022: Of all the gold medallists at the Beijing Winter Olympics, few – if any – can have worked harder to get to the top of the podium than Xu Mengtao.
In her fourth Winter Olympics, the 31-year-old Chinese freestyle skier finally became Olympic champion in the women’s aerials at Genting Snow Park A & M Stadium on Monday, February 14.
Xu scored 108.61 points to beat the defending champion, Hanna Huskova of Belarus, who took silver with 107.95. Megan Nick of the United States was third with 93.76.
An emotional Xu screamed repeatedly with delight on winning gold, receiving not only love from the crowd on Valentine’s Day but from her competitors, too.
Xu, who is known as “Taotao” on the circuit, enthused afterwards: "I'm just super excited. This is the first gold medal by China in women's aerials and it's just super cool. I just wanted to do the best tricks I can do and I did it and that was all."
Xu, a former gymnast, is competing in her fourth Winter Olympics since making her debut at Vancouver 2010. She won the silver medal in women’s aerials at Sochi 2014 and added a second silver medal here in the mixed team aerials, behind the United States.
Now she has gold – and her fellow freestyle skiers were quick to congratulate her.
Australia’s two-time world champion Laura Peel, who finished fifth in the “super-six” final, said: “Taotao is an incredible athlete. She's been at this a long time and at the top of the sport for a long time, so I really respect her. I'm happy for her. I think she's been eyeing that Olympic gold for a long time.”
Ashley Caldwell of the United States concurred. “I respect her wholeheartedly. For her to win the gold medal in her own country is an incredible accomplishment and it brought tears to my eyes just as much as sadness did.”
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