by sportswriters He Leijing, Tian Guangyu and Lu Xingji

LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- A glance at China's freestyle skiing roster for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics reads like a constellation of stars. Gu Ailing, Xu Mengtao and Qi Guangpu alone accounted for four of China's nine gold medals at Beijing 2022, anchoring the country's best Winter Olympic performance ever.

Four years on, Chinese freestyle skiing has not merely sustained its world-class standing - it has evolved. What was once defined by isolated breakthroughs has matured into a deep, multi-pronged medal assault.

As competition unfolds in Livigno, a mountain town straddling the Italian-Swiss border, freestyle skiing stands out as China's most concentrated source of gold medal hopes at the Games.

The freestyle program features 15 medal events across three disciplines: aerials, moguls and park and pipe. China's strongest prospects lie in aerials, halfpipe and slopestyle, disciplines where both star power and depth converge.

At the forefront remains Gu, the face of China's park and pipe ambitions. The Beijing Olympic champion, who captured two golds and a silver, has weathered an injury-interrupted Milan cycle but returned with emphatic authority. She swept victory in each of her last six women's halfpipe World Cup appearances this season, reasserting a dominance that borders on the overwhelming.

Gu's competitive schedule in slopestyle has been lighter over the past two seasons, yet her recent commanding win at a World Cup stop in Switzerland served as a reminder that she remains very much in the gold-medal conversation.

As for big air, Gu has not competed in the event since Beijing 2022. Though she has secured Olympic qualification, whether she will contest the discipline in Milan remains an open question.

Behind Gu, China's park and pipe contingent has grown notably thicker. In women's halfpipe, world championship silver medalist and Crystal Globe winner Li Fanghui, alongside World Cup event champion Zhang Kexin, form a formidable trio with Gu, giving China the realistic prospect of multiple podium finishes.

Rising talent Liu Mengting, meanwhile, has emerged as a promising force in big air. The Harbin Asian Winter Games flag bearer for China has already claimed two World Cup podiums this season, signaling genuine medal potential.

The international landscape, however, has shifted since Beijing 2022. Women's freestyle skiing has seen a regrettable wave of elite exits. France's Tess Ledeux, Italy's rising star Flora Tabanelli and Estonia's prodigy Kelly Sildaru have all been sidelined by serious injuries, dimming the once-crowded constellation of stars.

Still, challenges remain. Swiss defending Olympic champion Mathilde Gremaud looms as Gu's primary rival in slopestyle, while Britain's Zoe Atkin stands among the few skiers capable of mounting a meaningful challenge in the halfpipe.

If park and pipe offers brilliance, aerials remain China's most reliable gold mine.

Across previous Winter Olympics, Chinese aerialists have amassed three gold, seven silver and four bronze medals. In Milan, the team arrives fully stocked, led by veterans Xu and Qi, both competing in their fifth Olympic Games.

China has secured the maximum four quota places in both the men's and women's individual events and is targeting a clean sweep of the three available gold medals, including the mixed team event.

Xu, the defending Olympic champion, has delivered another model of consistency this season, reaching the podium in five of six World Cup appearances. Her steadiness remains her greatest weapon.

Kong Fanyu, rejuvenated after overcoming an injury, claimed victory at the World Cup stop in Yunding and sits second overall behind Xu. Chen Meiting and Shao Qi have also impressed, though they will face stiff competition from Australia's 36-year-old veteran Laura Peel and Americans Kaila Kuhn and Winter Vinecki.

The men's aerials contest promises even tighter margins. China's Sun Jiaxu, Li Tianma and Wang Xindi have all claimed World Cup victories this season. Defending Olympic champion Qi has posted a silver and a bronze, with his experience expected to serve as the stabilizing force for the squad.

Rivals from Ukraine, Switzerland and the United States pose comparable difficulty - many capable of executing the demanding triple-flip, five-twist jump - leaving execution on the day as the decisive factor.

Among all events, the mixed team aerials gold stands as China's most coveted prize. At Beijing 2022, a costly mistake denied the hosts gold in the event's Olympic debut, preventing a historic aerials sweep on home snow. In Milan, a deeper and more battle-hardened Chinese lineup is determined to reclaim the title, though formidable opposition from Australia, the United States and Ukraine awaits.

Yet aerials is also a discipline defined by uncertainty. Snow conditions, wind direction and subtle shifts in weather can all alter outcomes in a matter of seconds. Even the slightest gust during flight can reshape a landing.

As Chinese head coach Ji Dong noted, adapting to local snow conditions has been a focal point of preparation. "Chinese athletes are more accustomed to dry continental snow, while European athletes may be more familiar with the warmer, wetter snow expected at Milan-Cortina," he said.

Beyond its traditional strongholds, China will also field two female athletes each in ski cross and moguls, events where the nation has historically played a more modest role. Their performances, particularly from younger skiers, will be closely watched.

Capricious weather, razor-thin landings and rivals separated by fractions - freestyle skiing thrives where chance and certainty collide. As China's athletes take to the slopes of Livigno, they do so with both confidence and caution, armed with depth, experience and respect for the sport's inherent unpredictability. ■