Popular Chinese freestyle skier Zhang Xin won the first gold medal of the 13th China National Winter Games for the host team of Xinjiang following her final round victory in the Women's Aerial Freestyle Skiing event on Jan. 21.

China Daily reported that Zhang grabbed the gold medal with a grade of 94.47 points, while Kong Fanyu and Shen Xiaoxue, both from the Heilongjiang contingent, finished second and third to receive the silver and bronze medals.

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The 30-year-old athlete is one of China's most experienced freestyle skiers and has gained numerous World Cup podium finishes throughout her career that spans more than a decade as of the moment.

Despite all her accomplishments, though, she is actually not favored to win the Women's Aerial Freestyle Skiing category as 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics silver medalist and 2013 world champion Xu Mengtao is also participating in the event.

However, Xu unfortunately tore her left ACL in one of her jumps in the final round which made her unable to continue.

The report said that the 25-year-old was stretchered off the venue and "sent to a local hospital for inspection" where a doctor pronounced that "she suffered torn ligaments on her left knee".

Reports then said that it would take Xu at least ten months to completely heal her busted knee and be able to compete again.

Xu said to have taken the injury in stride, saying that she needed the forced time off to rest herself both physically and mentally.

"I felt stressed both mentally and physically in the buildup to the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Now I can take a good rest," said Xu. "I don't know whether I could keep my top form through 2018, even if I had not injured this time."

Meanwhile, Zhang, who herself is coming off a long layoff due to injury, admitted that she did not anticipate to win the gold medal, especially with Xu as one of her opponents.

"I felt a little nervous before the competition and didn't expect the gold medal. I think I just presented a normal performance, it influenced me a lot after being sidelined one year due to injury, I can say I have overcome myself," said Zhang, via Cri English.

TagsChina sports, 2016 China National Winter Games, Zhang Xin, Xu Mengtao, Women's Aerial Freestyle Skiing