LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's star snowboarder Su Yiming said he once "lost a lot of motivation" after the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, but rebuilt himself mentally and physically to return to the top of the Olympic podium at Milan-Cortina.

On his 22nd birthday, Su delivered China's first gold medal of the Games by winning the men's slopestyle on Wednesday, days after taking bronze in big air. Four years ago in Beijing, he had won gold in big air and silver in slopestyle.

"After Beijing, I went through things I had never experienced before," Su said at the post-event press conference. "Physically and mentally, I felt very tired. For a period of time, I lost a lot of motivation."

He said the shift from teenage champion to established Olympic contender brought a different kind of weight.

"At 17, I was still a kid. I didn't have many expectations or responsibilities," he said. "This time, I carry much more responsibility. It's an honor to represent China and Chinese snowboarding on this stage."

Su said returning to the highest level required both physical recovery and mental reset.

"Everyone else was improving," he said. "Just being able to stand on this stage again, I already felt grateful."

He described the process as an internal struggle.

"When your mind is ready, sometimes your body is not. When your body feels better, you may not fully believe in yourself yet," he added. "But even during the lowest moments, I chose to believe in the love I have for this sport."

Su had entered the Milan-Cortina Games as one of the favorites in big air. The Beijing 2022 champion had won back-to-back FIS World Cup titles in Chongli and Beijing this season and led the overall big air standings. Yet in the Olympic final on February 7, minor hand touches on his second and third jumps left him with bronze instead of gold.

"After big air, the pressure was actually much smaller," Su said. "This time (in slopestyle), I only focused on the competition itself."

That mindset proved decisive in slopestyle, where he led from the opening run with 82.41 points.

"On the first run, I just wanted to put my heaviest run down. It's the Olympic final - there's nothing to save," he said. "Slopestyle is not just one jump. You have to carry the energy from the first rail to the last jump."

Looking back on the four-year cycle, Su said his greatest growth was internal.

"I've already experienced what success feels like," he said. "This time, it's about becoming better than who I was yesterday. I've become more mature and more stable. I want to keep improving and contribute more to this sport." ■