After reaching the FIS women's freeski halfpipe World Cup finals at Genting Snow Park on Thursday, China's Olympian Gu Ailing said she couldn't miss this competition even though she was injured.

Gu Ailing of China competes during the women's halfpipe qualification at FIS Freeski World Cup in Zhangjiakou, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 7, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao)

"Some people might be born for competition, born to love it, and I am one of those people. Even if I'm injured, in such circumstances, I cannot miss the competition at Genting Snow Park," said Gu, the Beijing 2022 freeski halfpipe and big air champion.

Gu suffered a shoulder injury while training in Austria a few weeks ago. After consulting with doctors, she decided to come to Genting Snow Park, the Beijing 2022 venue where she won the Olympic halfpipe gold.

In Thursday's qualifiers, her second run's score soared to 94.75 points, leading all 15 competitors.

"The Genting venue is a lucky place for me, and for many athletes, it's also a very friendly halfpipe," said Gu.

"The shape of this halfpipe is particularly good. These days, the weather is not too cold, the wind is gentle, and there's plenty of sunshine. For athletes, it's the best scenario," she noted.

"I have competed and trained on halfpipes all around the world, and I believe Genting's is perfect," she added.

Discussing how many young people came to watch her competition, Gu said: "I'm very happy they came to support me. I hope everyone can strive to be their best selves. I hope they can find their favorite sports, and of course, if it's skiing, that would be great."

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