Medals update: Sandra Naeslund wins nail-biting Beijing 2022 freestyle skiing ski cross gold

The Swede came out on top in a ski-to-ski battle. Canada's Marielle Thompson claims silver with Switzerland's Fanny Smith awarded bronze.

3 minBy Jo Gunston
Gold medallist Sandra Naeslund of Team Sweden celebrates during the Women's Ski Cross 

(2022 Getty Images)

The usual suspects made it to the final of the women's freestyle ski cross event at the Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou but the race was anything but usual.

Sweden's Sandra Naeslund finally claimed the gold medal after winning everything else in a stellar career except the Olympic title. She has that now, and at only 25 years old.

Ski to ski with great rival Fanny Smith who was also looking to top her career with the Olympic title, Naeslund managed to keep ahead of the chasing pack, which also included another ski cross stalwart, Canada's Marielle Thompson.

The top two medallists were clear but after a long wait on completion of the race, Smith, who crossed the line in third place, was given a yellow card for side contact and relegated to fourth. However, on 26 February Smith was awarded the bronze medal after a review of the result by the Freestyle and Freeski Appeal Committee.

Thompson, the Sochi 2014 champion who finished 17th four years ago, claimed a silver medal for the Canadians, the first time the nation has not won the gold medal in the three Olympic Winter Games in which ski cross has been included.

Naeslund has been the out and out best performer of the whole season, leading the World Cup rankings ahead of Smith and Thompson, having won nine out of the ten races so far.

Fourth in PyeongChang 2018 the reigning world champion is the first Swedish athlete to win Olympic gold in ski cross. Anna Holmlund won bronze in 2014, the only other medal won in ski cross for the Swedes.

Naeslund won all four races in which she took part today, as well as being fastest in the seeding run.

“I did it. It feels so great, said an ecstatic Naeslund. "I was feeling pretty good today, and the skiing was great, but it was hard with the snow. I didn’t know what speed it would be each run, so that was pretty difficult.

“It’s always hard coming into one race when it counts the most," Naeslund said about coming into the event as favourite. "You've been doing well all season and here it is. I'm so happy I managed to ski well and keep the lead.”

"I'm really stoked," said Thompson. "The Olympics is such a different race every time but the fastest girl won today and Sandra skied really well."

Women's ski cross results:
1 Sandra Naeslund
2 Marielle Thompson
3 Fanny Smith

The next freestyle skiing events are on Friday (18 February) with the women's halfpipe final as well as the men's edition of the spectacular ski cross event.

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