Greek Australian freestyle aerial skier Lydia Lassila has won the gold medal in the ladies’ freestyle skiing aerials final at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.
Lassila scored a total of 214.74 points to win the gold medal.
Lasisla was ecstatic after her win in the final at Cypress Mountain.
“I’m so happy. This is closure to a lifetime of hard work and sacrifices,” Lassila said.
“I’m thrilled that my husband Lauri was here to see it. We’ll have a bit of party tonight.”
Lassila was placed second after the opening round of jumps after she landed an extremely difficult jump to net 106.25 points.
Her second jump wasn’t as difficult buther double twisting triple back flip was so good she scored 108.49 pushing her into first place.
Chinese pacesetter Xu Mengtao had the chance to snatch gold on the final jump but she failed to stick the landing and finished in sixth place.
Fellow Australian Jacqui Cooper finished in fifth place with a total of 194.29 points (90.82 and 103.47).
China’s Li Nina and compatriot Guo Xinxin won the silver and bronze medals while fellow Australians Jacqui Cooper finished in fifth place and Elizabeth Gardner in 12th place.
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has paid tribute to Lassila’s victory.
“The country’s proud of you, [it’s] really good achievement for Australia,” Mr Rudd told Parliament.
“[It] lifts the nation’s spirits when we see our athletes doing so well abroad and contributing to this being the most successful Winter Olympics that Australia has ever had.
“Well done, Lydia.”
Lassila is Australia’s second gold medallist of the Games, following the win of snowboarder Torah Bright in the ladies’ halfpipe event.
Her brother George Ierodiaconou, talking to Fairfax radio said, “We’re over the moon ecstatic!”
“She’s worked very, very hard all her life, the whole family is here and we’re all celebrating for her. Her husband Larry is over there celebrating, he’s with her, we’re all so proud” Mr Ierodiaconou said.
He added, “It is her third Olympics, she’s been twice before and she has overcome quite a bit to get where she is now. She’s had injuries, been in a lot of pain but she’s done it and we’re proud of her. We will be cracking the Champagne bottle open tonight!”
She says she’s shocked! She said she knows she did it, but she’s in shock, she said ‘George I’ve done it! I can’t believe it!” Mr Ierodiaconou told Fairfax radio.
Lassila’s Cypress Mountain triumph takes Australia’s tally in Vancouver to three medals – two gold and one silver (Dale Begg-Smith in moguls) – making it Australia’s most successful ever Winter Games campaign.
The 28-year-old is now the fifth Australia to have won a gold medal at the Winter Olympics, joining Bright (2010), Begg-Smith (2006, Camplin (2002), and Steven Bradbury.