BEIJING, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) --Chinese freeskier Gu Ailing won her second silver medal at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in the women's big air on Monday.
Gu Ailing of China celebrates during the freestyle skiing women's freeski big air event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Gu Ailing of China is congratulated after the freestyle skiing women's freeski big air final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang)
Gu, who had not contested a major women's big air event since winning gold at the Beijing Games, finished with 179.00 points, just 1.75 behind the winner, Megan Oldham of Canada.
Silver medalist Gu Ailing of China reacts during the awarding ceremony of the freestyle skiing women's freeski big air event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)
Gold medalist Megan Oldham ® of Canada celebrates after the freestyle skiing women's freeski big air final at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)
Dutch short track speed skater Xandra Velzeboer captured her second gold medal of the Games with victory in the women's 1,000 meters.
Xandra Velzeboer (front) of the Netherlands celebrates after the short track speed skating women's 1000m final A at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
Earlier in the men's 5,000m relay semifinals, the Chinese quartet of Liu Shaoang, Lin Xiaojun, Li Wenlong and Zhang Bohao kept a low profile in the early stages before launching several overtakes in the middle and latter laps to briefly take the lead. However, on the final lap, Liu slipped unexpectedly on a curve, allowing Canada and Italy to seize the opportunity and finish as the top two in the group to qualify for Final A, while China missed out in 6:55.278.
Liu Shaoang (1st L), Zhang Bohao (2nd L), Lin Xiaojun (2nd R) and Li Wenlong of China react after the short track speed skating men's 5000m relay semifinal at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ming)
In the pairs figure skating, Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara bounced back from a fifth-place finish in the short program to triumph with 231.24 points, thanks to their competition-high 158.13 in the free skate.
Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara of Japan react after their free skating performance of Figure Skating Pair Skating at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)
Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan react in the kiss and cry area after their free skating performance of Figure Skating Pair Skating at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
China's returning Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong placed fifth on 208.64, moving one place up from the short program.
Sui Wenjing/Han Cong of China compete during the free skating of Figure Skating Pair Skating at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
Six gold medals were determined on Monday, with American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor bagging home the women's monobob title with a combined time of 3:57.93, while Austria scored 568.7 points to clinch the inaugural men's ski jumping super team gold.
Stephan Embacher of team Austria competes during the trial round of the ski jumping men's super team event at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Predazzo, Italy, Feb. 16, 2026. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)