Gu Ailing of China in action during the women's halfpipe qualification at the FIS Freeski World Cup in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei province, on Dec 7, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese freestyle skiing superstar and Olympic gold medalist Gu Ailing announced on Tuesday that she had to withdraw from the competition of the upcoming Harbin Asian Winter Games due to a series of recent injuries.
In a post on the Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo, Gu, also known as Eileen Gu, said she has no choice but to announce with a heavy heart that she has to withdraw from the Harbin Asian Winter Games, which she has long been looking forward to.
"After I was injured in the Aspen X Games, I got back to training to prepare for the World Cup events and unfortunately got injured again," she wrote. "I wish all the best for the Chinese athletes. And I will also closely follow the doctors' recovery and treatment plan so I can be back in the action before the competition season ends."
As a member of China's delegation to the Games held in Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province from Feb 7 to 14, the 21-year-old is expected to take part in the freeski halfpipe event as well as one or both of the freeski slopestyle and Big Air events.
Previously, she became the first freestyle skier to win three medals which took place at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. Additionally, Gu is a three-time Winter X Games champion and two-time world champion. And people have high hopes to see her snatch golds for Team China in the upcoming Games.
Gu withdrew before freeski halfpipe and big air events at the Winter X Games held in Aspen, Colorado, the United States after sustaining an injury in a bad fall in the earlier street style competition on Jan 24.
"I'm okay but unable to walk at this point in time due to some really aggressive bruising on that last crash," she posted on her social media. "To be completely honest, my mental and physical tanks hit zero yesterday. I was planning on pulling out two nights ago but challenged myself to get through the practices and to stay in the contests for the love of the game and as a mental strength exercise".
On Jan 28, Gu withdrew from competition of the US Grand Prix also held in Aspen following a crash during training.
