Gu Ailing of China competes during the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics on February 18, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province. (Photo: AP)

China's home favorite Gu Ailing claimed a historic gold in the women's freeski halfpipe at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday.

Gu scored 93.25 points in her opening run, and led the 12-strong final standings. A whopping 95.25 points on her second attempt helped to extend her lead and proved quite enough to keep her on top for the rest of the competition.

China's Gu Ailing reacts during the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics on February 18, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province. (Photo: People's Daily)

For her third and final pass, and with the contest locked up, Gu made an easy run to celebrate her victory.

The 18-year-old free ski talent grabbed her first gold in the big air event in her Olympic debut and also won the silver in the slopestyle at Beijing 2022. Gu thus became the first person to win three medals in three different freestyle skiing disciplines at the Winter Olympics.

From left silver medal winner Canada's Cassie Sharpe, gold medal winner China's Gu Ailing and bronze medal winner Canada's Rachael Karker celebrate after the women's halfpipe finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics on February 18, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, North China's Hebei Province. (Photo: People's Daily)

Pyeongchang gold medalist Cassie Sharpe from Canada took silver with her best run score of 90.75 points.

Sharpe's compatriot Rachael Karker, who topped the world rankings in the 2020-21 season in the overall halfpipe standings, nabbed the bronze on 87.75 points.

Like Gu, Kelly Sildaru of Estonia competed in three freestyle skiing events. Sildaru was fourth in the halfpipe competition. She earned a bronze in slopestyle on Tuesday.

Gu's teammates Li Fanghui and Zhang Kexin finished fifth and seventh respectively in Friday's finals.

Zhang required medical attention after a crash on her third run and she stayed down in the halfpipe for a moment before getting up and skiing down to the finish area.

Each of the 12 finalists have three runs on the course in the finals. The best run for each skier is counted towards the final rankings and medals.