Hopes soar after Gu's Big Air qualifier

Gu, who ranked fifth in the qualifiers, will face a stern challenge in the final on Tuesday morning from Canada's Megan Oldham and Tess Ledeux of France, who respectively finished first and second in the qualification rounds.

Gu, who will bid for a history-making hat-trick of freestyle skiing gold medals at the Olympics, said it is important to win medals but knowing that she has inspired more young people in China to try on skis had already given her a huge sense of accomplishment.

"To be able to make the finals at the first freeski Big Air in Olympic history, that's a historic moment for myself and for China, for the sport of freeski," she said.

"Just to be a part of it and to have motivated even a little bit of that free spirit that is growing at an extreme rate right now in China and to be able to have made even the tiniest bit of impact, that makes me feel like I've already met my goal."