China's freestyle skiing stars made history at the 9th Asian Winter Games on Saturday as Li Fanghui and Zhang Kexin secured a stunning 1-2 finish in the women's halfpipe competition. The duo's aerial mastery and technical precision captivated audiences, underscoring China's growing influence in winter sports following the Beijing 2022 Olympic momentum.
Li Fanghui, 22, claimed gold with a gravity-defying run featuring back-to-back 1080 spins, while 19-year-old Zhang Kexin's innovative combination of amplitude and style earned silver. Their podium sweep comes as China invests heavily in winter sports infrastructure and youth training programs, aiming to become a global leader in snow disciplines.
The victory marks China's third gold in freestyle skiing at the competition, highlighting the nation's strategic focus on developing winter athletes since hosting the Winter Olympics. Fans worldwide praised the performances on social media, with viral clips of the medal-winning runs amassing millions of views within hours.
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China's freestyle skiers dominate women's halfpipe with gold, silver
cgtn.com
