China's Eileen Gu won her second Olympic gold medal of Beijing 2022 with victory in the ski halfpipe today ©Getty Images

Eileen Gu scored the two highest runs in the women's ski halfpipe final to claim her second Olympic gold medal of Beijing 2022 here today.

The 18-year-old has been the star of the Games and the poster girl for the host nation China, who she controversially represents through her Chinese mother, adding a second title after winning the women's ski big air earlier at Big Air Shougang.

Gu made it a near-perfect Olympic debut - her "worst" performance being a silver in the women's ski slopestyle to Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud - with her second routine, in which she scored a best of 95.25 points.

Her first-round effort of 93.25 points would have been enough to take the gold, continuing her unbeaten record this season in the event.

Gu had won both of her World Cup events this season, making her the firm favourite for Olympic gold.

Canada's Cassie Sharpe could not defend her Olympic title, but did finish with a silver medal ©Getty Images
Canada's Cassie Sharpe could not defend her Olympic title, but did finish with a silver medal ©Getty Images

"It has been two straight weeks of the most intense highs and lows I've ever experienced in my life," she said.

"It has changed my life forever. 

"The second I landed the last 16 in big air I knew my life was never going to be the same. 

"Even then I would have never imagined that I'd walk away with another silver and another gold. 

"I'm so honoured to be here and I'm even more honoured by this platform that I've been given to be able to spread this message and inspire young girls through my own passion for the sport and to be able hopefully spread the sport to people that might not have heard of it before."

The statistics tell their own tale. 

Gu is now the second-most successful Chinese Winter Olympian at a single Games, unable to replicate the three gold medals won by Wang Meng in short track speed skating at Vancouver 2010.

She is also the fifth-most successful Chinese Winter Olympian, ever.

Gu is also the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Olympics.

Eileen Gu, flanked by Canada's silver and bronze medallists Cassie Sharpe and Rachael Karker, is the first freestyle skier to win three Olympic medals at the same Games ©Getty Images
Eileen Gu, flanked by Canada's silver and bronze medallists Cassie Sharpe and Rachael Karker, is the first freestyle skier to win three Olympic medals at the same Games ©Getty Images

Canada's Cassie Sharpe was the closest to Gu, scoring 90.00 points in the second round and following up with a 90.75 in her last run.

The defending champion put together three strong runs, only beaten to the title by the in-form teenager.

Canada was represented on the podium twice as Rachael Karker's first run scored her 87.75 points, meaning she took the bronze medal by less than a point in front of Estonia's Kelly Sildaru.

Sildaru's second run scored 87.00 points for fourth.

She was unable to replicate the bronze she claimed in the slopestyle behind Gremaud and Gu.

Li Fanghui of China and Hanna Faulhaber of the United States completed the top six.

American Brita Sigourney, the Pyeongchang 2018 bronze medallist, was 10th.