Global Times

Gu crys Ailin tal g glob lifts e

▶ Cap flaw s off less seas halfp on with ipe run

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97.5, a personal best. In an interview with media after the competitio­n, the skier said she was “blown away” by the result.

Not only did Gu set a new personal record in the halfpipe event, the talented skier also received a crystal globe trophy for her total of four championsh­ip titles won at Copper Mountain and Mammoth Mountain in the US and twice in Calgary, Canada.

A beloved skier nicknamed the “Ice Princess” by fans in China, Gu’s exceptiona­l performanc­e has become a hot topic earn

ing more than million views on China’s Twitter- like Sina Weibo.

Besides sending her congratula­tions, many people online expressed that they could not quite keep pace with Gu’s winning speed, suggesting that her consecutiv­e successes were both amazing and surprising.

“Ok, I got it, every princess has to have a crystal piece,” posted one netizen on Sina Weibo.

Winning the crystal globe was definitely not the only recent highlight for Gu. During the season, she also claimed two victories within three days in Canada at the beginning of the new year. Also, th the 18- year- old became the world’s fififirst first to land a freeski double cork 1440 during training.

Such achievemen­ts increased Chinese fans’ faith in her potential to attain multiple golds at the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympic Games.

“She has done nothing but win. I hope she can keep this momentum during the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympic Games,” posted another netizen on Sina Weibo.

The US- born star that is going to represent China at the Winter Games became a Chinese national announced by her in 2019, and can speak fluent Chinese. Going by the handle “Frog Princess,” she has accumulate­d more than 1.27 million fans on China’s Sina Weibo and has become a poster girl for media production­s to fuel promotions for the Games.

She collaborat­ed with Chinese super idol Jackson Yee in an Olympic short film called A Date with Snow and Ice that ignited many young fans’ passion toward the Games.

“Maybe when I wake up, there will be more news about another gold she has won,” posted a netizen.

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