Cai Xuetong competes in the women's halfpipe final on February 10. Photo: VCG

Team China's ­snowboarder Cai Xuetong ranked fourth in women's halfpipe final on Thursday, narrowly missing the podium. American Chloe Kim took the gold, with China's other two contestants placed at eighth and 12th positions. 

Cai, the two-time world champion, was considered to be a strong competitor for the medal. On Thursday morning, she set her score at a strong 81.25 with her first run but failed to surpass Japan's Sena Tomita's 88.25. 

Although she was saddened for not succeeding in the challenge of the difficult moves, Cai praised her opponents after the match.

"All the women athletes presented a very good game for the audience, and I already feel great to be one of them," Cai said. "My goal is to push myself to the limit. That's what this sport has taught me."

Although regretfully missing the medals, Cai elevated her level once again from fifth place at the Pyeongchang Olympics in 2018, sixth in Sochi 2014, and 23rd on her Olympic debut in Vancouver 2010, which is highly praised by commentators and the Chinese public. 

"I want the people to see this sport and to know more about snowboarding. And after the Olympics, I hope more people will join us," Cai said.

In fact, Chinese snowboarders have become a force to be reckoned with. Including Cai, three contestants of Team ­China qualified into the final of women's halfpipe, a joint most in all teams. 

Liu Jiayu ranked eighth among 12 finalists. This is Liu's fourth time representing China at the Winter Olympics. At the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, Liu bagged a silver medal, which was Team China's first-ever medal in snowboarding. 

"It would be a lie to say I'm not sad [over the result]," the 29-year-old ­four-time Olympian wrote on China's Twitter-like platform Sina Weibo after the final. 

China's Qiu Leng, who ranked in the 12th place, also won netizens' support for her performance. 

During the Games, Qiu wrote on her palms the name of Chinese snowboarder Wu Shaotong and a cheering message for Wu, who did not make it into the finals. Qiu said she wanted to cheer for her and work with her toward higher goals in the future.