Team China's achievements on the snow at Beijing 2022
Editor's notes: In the past, China was strong in ice but relatively weak in snow events. Before the 24th Olympic Winter Games, of China's 13 Olympic golds, only one came from snow sports. However, Beijing 2022, held from Feb 4 to 20, has played host to multiple achievements by Team China on the snow.
When Beijing won its Winter Olympics bid in 2015, about one-third of the events had never been held in the country. However, 177 Chinese athletes managed to compete in 104 of 109 events in 15 disciplines across seven sports.
China ranks third at the medal table at Beijing 2022 with nine gold, four silver and two bronze medals, among which five golds, three silvers, and one bronze were won in snow sports, the country's best record at the Games.
But breakthroughs are not only measured by medal counts. Managing to compete in the Games is its own achievement.
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing talent Gu Ailing bagged two golds and one silver for host China in the women's freestyle skiing halfpipe, big air, and slopestyle respectively at Beijing 2022.
The gold medal won by Gu in big air on Feb 8 was the second gold grabbed by China in snow sports at the Winter Olympics.
Han Xiaopeng claimed the freestyle skiing aerial gold medal at the 2006 Turin Olympics.
China, a powerhouse in free ski aerials, waited 16 years to win its second Olympic gold when veteran free skier Xu Mengtao, a four-time Olympian and runner-up at Sochi 2014, fulfilled her dream of winning an Olympic gold in the women's aerials at Beijing 2022 on Feb 14.
This was China's first Olympic gold in women's aerials.
Chinese free skier Qi Guangpu grabbed the men's aerials gold in his fourth Olympic appearance at the Games.
Qi's victory was also the third all-time Olympic gold for the Chinese freeski aerials team.
Skier Zhao Yang took a bold first step when he made China's Olympic debut in the freestyle skiing men's moguls event on Feb 5, although he failed to qualify for the finals of the competition.
"I feel very happy, and I'm honored to be here. My dream to compete at the Olympics has come true. That's all I can ask. I think I tried my best in the competition," Zhao said.
"The Chinese men's moguls team made great progress but still has a long way to go. I believe the team will become much stronger in the future. I will keep training and look forward to the next Winter Olympics," Zhao added.
Once an Alpine skier, Zhao took up freestyle skiing moguls in 2008.
