Lassila clinches Olympic aerials gold as Li settles for silver again

From Sportsbeat staff, in Vancouver

AUSTRALIA'S Lydia Lassila has scooped Olympic aerials gold at Cypress Mountain, upsetting the dominant Chinese contingent at Vancouver 2010.

SHINING LIGHT: Australia's Lydia Lassila birghtens up a gloomy Cypress Mountain with two sublime jumps to take aerials Olympic gold (Getty Images)

The 27-year-old produced two sparkling jumps to light up the gloomy skies and collect scores of 106.25 and 108.49 to clinch gold.

Standing on top of the Olympic podium will be all the more sweet for Lassila, who ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament during competition in Turin four years ago.

But as she landed her two jumps perfectly, she banished her Olympic demons and warded off a strong Chinese challenge in Vancouver.

"This is something that I've dreamed about at home since as far back as I can remember," she said.

"I know that China are a strong team but when I jump my best, I know that will be good enough.

"Without the support of the Australian government, there's no way I would have done this. I just want to thank everyone."

"I never backed down. I crossed my 't's and dotted my 'i's, I've had my ups and downs, fought through and believed."

"This is what I worked my whole life for. It's here now. I never lost sight of what I could do and what I can do is this: triple somersaults."

Mengtao Xu led the way at the halfway point of the competition, having produced a flawless jump to secure 108.74 points to lead ahead of Lassila.

But after the Australian had piled the pressure on with her final jump, Xu, the last competitor to go, soared through the air but after a shaky landing and after lengthy struggle to stay on her feet, she fell, ensuring she had to make do with sixth overall.

Xu is currently third in the World Cup rankings behind compatriots Nina Li and XinXin Guo and the three were expected to do battle for gold in Vancouver.

It was Li who produced the best overall Chinese score to take silver but she was still more than seven points behind Lassila, while bronze went to Guo.

It is Li's second Olympic silver medal as she was also forced to settle for second best four years ago to Evelyne Leu as China continue to dominate the aerials discipline everywhere other than the Olympic stage.

"I felt in Turin I could not do my best because of my injury. Today I did my best, I could bring out my best jump. I feel amazing," said Li.

"I feel I am the snow princess and always will be."

 

AS IT HAPPENS: Day 13 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver