Zhang Xin claims China's third silver at PyeongChang Olympics (updated)

PYEONGCHANG, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Xin won the third silver for China at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympic Games in the women's freestyle skiing aerial at Phoenix Snow Park here on Friday.

The 32-year-old earned 95.52 points in the final for the silver, while her teammate Kong Fanyu got the bronze with 70.14.

Zhang said: "It was a little disappointed that we did not win the gold. Through these years we have won five silvers. We did all we need to do but we are just not lucky enough."

Zhang became the second-oldest athlete from China to claim an individual medal at Winter Olympics, after speed skater Wang Manli won a silver in the women's 500m in 2006.

"Hopefully we can make our dreams come true in the 2022 Beijing Olympics," added Zhang, who placed 13th in Sochi 2014.

"The Olympic Games are such a big competition. I had a lot of pressure but I was able to control it. I set a goal to enter the final. I made it. I was confident for this competition as the Chinese are so good at aerial skiing," said 24-year-old Kong, who is competing in her first Winter Olympics.

Hanna Huskova of Belarus nailed her final jump with a double-twisting back layout and posted 96.14 points to win the gold.

"All my jumps I did with calm and patience, so I was focused on winning," said Huskova, who snatched Belarus' first medal in PyeongChang.

Alla Tsuper, who won gold for Belarus in Sochi, finished fourth in her sixth Olympic appearance. Australian Laura Peel was fifth and American Madison Olsen finished sixth..

Another Chinese skier Xu Mengtao, the silver medallist at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, earned 91.00 points to take the second place after the first jump in the three-round final with 12 skiers, but fell on her second jump to be eliminated out of the last six.

"I dreamed thousands of times, but never thought that I ended my four years this way. I tried my best, so I have no regrets," said Xu, who promised that she would retire if she could not win the gold.

China has long been promoting the snow sport that requires more skills than strength and their athletes in freestyle skiing have made fast progress since the sport was imported in 1989.

As early as 1998, Xu Nannan took the silver of women's aerials to make a breakthrough for China on the snow sports at the Nagano Winter Olympics.

In the Turin Olymics in 2006, Han Xiaopeng made history by winning the men's aerials gold medal, which is China's first Olympic gold in skiing events as well as the country's first Winter Olympic title claimed by male athletes.

Also in Turin, Li Nina won the silver medal of women's aerials, only one step away from the highest podium. Since then, the Chinese aerial team began to form a group advantage with emerging stars.

China has claimed five silver and two bronze medals in the women's aerial since it became an official medal event at the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. Enditem