Canada's Sharpe captures silver, Karker bronze in freeski halfpipe
CBC
Cassie Sharpe captured silver and Rachael Karker claimed bronze in the women's freeski halfpipe final on Friday for Canada's 21st and 22nd medals at the Beijing Olympics. China's Eileen Gu won gold for her third medal in Beijing.
It is Canada's sixth silver and 12th bronze medal in Beijing, along with four golds.
Sharpe, from Comox, B.C., finished with a best score of 90.75 points for her second Olympic medal after winning the event four years ago in Pyeongchang. Karker, from Erin, Ont., finished behind her with 87.75 to cap off her impressive Olympic debut.
Sharpe was thrilled to share the podium with a teammate this time around.
"It's amazing. It's been so fun training with her since the last four years and seeing how far she's taken the sport and seeing how far she pushes herself. Being on the podium with another Canadian is surreal," Sharpe said.
WATCH | Sharpe soars to Olympic silver in women's freeski halfpipe final:
Sharpe's position on the podium caps off a remarkable comeback from knee surgery after she tore her ACL and MCL at the X Games a year ago. The 29-year-old only returned to competition in December.
"Exactly a year ago I had reconstructive ACL knee surgery in which they fractured my femur. It was just a crazy experience to go through that and the first three, four months after surgery I didn't know if I would make it here," Sharpe said.
"Being able to flip it around and get on snow just under four months ago and make it to the Games and get a podium, I'm extremely proud and pretty satisfied with my performance. I left it all on the table and [am] just stoked to be here."
Calgary's Amy Fraser finished eighth in her Olympic debut after posting a best score of 75.25 on her first run.
WATCH | Karker earns bronze in her Olympic freeski halfpipe debut:
U.S.-born superstar Gu won a historic gold for China with another amazing performance (95.25), becoming the first action-sports athlete to win three medals at the same Winter Games. The 18-year-old sensation previously won big air gold and slopestyle silver in Beijing.
Raised in San Francisco, she has faced ongoing backlash for her decision to represent her mother's home country of China, but her decision has paid off with a show-stealing Olympic debut.
She won her first gold in Beijing by becoming the second female skier to ever land a double 1620 in competition.
