World champion Xu takes positive out of injury lay-off

Aerials world champion Xu Mengtao, who was injured at the Chinese National Winter Games here, will be out of action for 10 months and miss the rest of the 2015-16 season.

Xu, the 2013 world championship winner and Sochi Olympics silver medalist, fell on her jump in the women's freestyle aerials final on Thursday while landing. She was taken away on a stretcher and sent to a local hospital for inspection.

"I was told that the cruciate ligaments on my left knee were ruptured and I need about 10 months to recover," Xu told Xinhua on Sunday.

Although Xu is forced to miss the remainder of the 2015-16 season, the 25-year-old has taken some positives out of the lay-off.

"I felt stressed both mentally and physically in the buildup to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Now I can take a good rest," she said.

With about two years to go before the 2018 Winter Olympics open in Pyeongchang, Xu has enough time to prepare.

"I don't know whether I could keep my top form through 2018, even if I had not injured this time," she said.

"But the Pyeongchang 2018 would be my third Winter Olympics experience, so I really wish a good performance.

"I will try to make good preparations for the Pyeongchang Games."

Li Na, Asia's first ever tennis Grand Slam champion, is Xu's long-time idol. Li's autobiograph "Playing Myself" is one of Xu's favorite books.

"I like Li Na very much. She is tough and ambitious. I think we have somthing in common," said Xu.

"Whenever I encountered difficulties in my sporting career, I would seek courage and help from her experiences." Endit