Gu top qualifier in ski halfpipe, chasing 3rd Olympic medal

ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Eileen Gu turned in the top score not once but twice in a competitive women’s ski halfpipe qualifier on Thursday as she chases her third medal at the Beijing Olympics.

She was holding back, too.

The standout American-born freestyle skier who represents China already has a gold from big air and a silver from slopestyle. She’s bidding to become the first action-sports athlete to capture three medals at the same Winter Games.

Gu played it safe — by her standards, anyway — in the first of two runs and still scored a 93.75. Hardly content, she went even bigger on her final run and scored a 95.50 on what was a cool and crisp morning at the Genting Snow Park.

To think, even more big air and bigger tricks await.

“I’m not going all out,” Gu said after her second run. “I have a few more tricks I’d like to have the opportunity to do.”

It was a competitive event with 10 of the freestyle skiers who moved on scoring 82.25 or higher. None, though, jumped into the 90s like Gu did — twice.

Rachael Karker of Canada was in second position with a score of 89.50 and Kelly Sildaru of Estonia, the bronze-medal winner in slopestyle, wound up third with 87.50. Safely in, Sildaru skipped her final run.

The top 12 advanced to the final on Friday.

Defending champion Cassie Sharpe of Canada was in sixth position. She’s returning to form after tearing a ligament in her knee and fracturing her femur a little over a year ago. Three Americans made the final with Brita Sigourney leading the way in eighth position. Sigourney took third at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

Gu used the second run as an opportunity to iron out some new tricks. She landed everything — another confidence-building trip through the halfpipe for the heavily favored freestyler.

“The halfpipe is such a fun event,” she said.

Maybe her best one, too. Gu’s won each World Cup halfpipe contest this season along with the Dew Tour. In addition, Gu captured halfpipe gold at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics in Switzerland.

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