Olympics-Freestyle-Canada's Oldham pips Gu to take gold in women's big air

By Alvise Armellini and Lisa Richwine

LIVIGNO, ITALY, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Canada's Megan Oldham won the women's freestyle big air final at the Olympics ahead of China's hope Eileen Gu on Monday, having recovered from an injury that hobbled her three months ago.

Gu, the defending champion and one of Milano Cortina's highest profile athletes, had to settle for silver, while the home favourite, Italy's Flora Tabanelli, took bronze in an evening nail-biter in the alpine resort of Livigno.

With the best two scores out of three jumps deciding the winner, the Canadian was crowned with a combined result of 180.75 against 179.00 and 178.25 for the other medallists.

Oldham, 24, came into the final having topped the qualifiers, and fresh from a slopestyle bronze a week ago.

"I'm on cloud nine right now. I'm still, I think, processing everything. I don't even think the emotion has fully hit me yet, but so happy, for sure," she said, dedicating the victory to her brother Cody, who turned 18 on Monday.

In November, Oldham suffered a concussion while practising new tricks in Switzerland, and was off skiing for six weeks, a period she previously described as "really tough".

SECOND SILVER FOR GU

For American-born Gu it was the second silver of these Games, after the runner-up spot in slopestyle. It brought her overall Olympic tally to five medals, a record for women's freestyle skiing.

When asked if she had regrets about missing out twice on gold, she dismissed it as a "ridiculous perspective" and said she would now focus on the halfpipe final later this week, which will give her another chance for the top medal.

Olympic novice Tabanelli, 18, was the youngest finalist, and the reigning freestyle world champion. Her bronze capped an even more impressive recovery from injury, as she rode with a carbon knee brace after tearing a ligament in November.

She said she still needed to undergo surgery to regain full fitness, and credited her brother Miro, who on Sunday missed out on a spot in the men's big air final, for supporting her all the way to her medal.

SWISS CONTENDER IN HOSPITAL

In big air, skiers launch themselves off a jump and perform as many flips and twists as they can before landing, reaching speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour. Judges assess height, technique, originality and other factors.

Monday's final was delayed by over an hour due to a snow blizzard.

One of the top medal hopefuls, Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland, pulled out at the last minute as she crashed in a practice run. She was due to spend the night in hospital under observation, after taking a big hit on the hip.