LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Calling the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics a "privilege," China's Gu Ailing said she was proud to return to the podium after winning silver in the women's freeski big air final on Monday night, her second medal of the Games and the fifth Olympic medal of her career.

The 22-year-old defending champion, who won gold in the event at Beijing 2022, scored 179.00 points at Livigno Snow Park to finish 1.75 points behind Canada's Megan Oldham. The final was delayed by more than an hour because of strong wind and snowfall, testing athletes' timing and rhythm in difficult alpine conditions.

With the result, Gu became the most decorated female freeskier in Olympic history. The medal, won on the first day of the Chinese New Year in Beijing time, carried special emotional significance.

"Chinese New Year represents change and new beginnings," Gu said. "To be able to showcase my best skiing and walk away with a medal on such a special night feels incredible."

It was her second silver of the Games after a runner-up finish in slopestyle. Asked whether two silvers should be viewed as "gold medals lost," Gu dismissed the framing.

"I think that speaks for itself," she said. "Winning a medal at the Olympics is life-changing. Doing it five times is exponentially harder. Each one feels harder to earn than the last."

Gu, the only female freeskier competing in three events at Milan-Cortina, acknowledged the physical and logistical demands of her schedule, particularly as overlapping training sessions have reduced her preparation time for halfpipe.

"I think the Olympics should celebrate aspiration," she said. "Competing in three events is something many people told me was impossible. But that's my strength. I'm proud to be doing it."

She said perspective matters more than medal color.

"I'm not thinking about medals or any color of medal," she said. "I'm just trying to be here and be present. Many people told me this couldn't be done. I'm already doing the impossible."

Beyond the medal count, Gu reflected on how her mindset has evolved since Beijing 2022, where she competed amid extraordinary expectations.

"Last Olympics, I felt I was representing hundreds of millions of people. It lifted me to the highest level," she said. "But now I feel I'm here because I want to be."

She added: "Last Olympics was an opportunity. This Olympics is a privilege."

"Returning to big air after a four-year absence in this event from international competition also required renewed technical commitment," she said.

"The level of women's skiing has progressed so much," Gu noted. "Coming into this Olympics, I didn't want to feel like my tricks weren't technical enough. I spent a lot of time learning new skills and making sure I could execute them when it counted."

With halfpipe still ahead, Gu said she would shift her focus quickly despite the demanding schedule.

"The best athletes have the shortest memory," she said. "I finish one event and go straight into the next as if it's my first." ■