Chinese representative Eileen Gu, defending her Olympic champion title, secured a spot in the freeski big air final at the Milan-Cortina Games. Despite a scary-looking fall in her second attempt, the 22-year-old athlete managed to control her emotions and deliver a decisive jump. However, the sporting success was overshadowed by controversies regarding the competition schedule, which the skier described as unfair and illogical.

Saturday's qualifiers in Livigno provided fans with immense excitement. Eileen Gu, one of the biggest stars in contemporary freestyle skiing, started her campaign with a solid first jump, but in her second attempt, she suffered a serious fall. After the failed landing, one of her skis detached, pushing her down to a distant 17th place in the standings. This situation put the skier under enormous pressure before her final attempt, as only a flawless run guaranteed her a spot in Monday's final. However, Gu kept her cool, landing her third jump perfectly and sealing her place in the medal battle. Eileen Gu made history during the 2022 Beijing Games, becoming the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Olympic event. Her 2019 decision to represent China instead of the USA sparked widespread discussion about sports diplomacy and athlete commercialization.The joy of advancement was quickly replaced by sharp criticism of the <przypis title=