Livigno (Italy) (AFP) - Snowboard star Su Yiming said there was “no better gift on his birthday” after an emotional victory that gave China its first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina Olympics in the men’s slopestyle event on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old, who has battled injuries and faced mental struggles since he shot to fame at the 2022 Beijing Games, could not hold back the tears as the reality of his victory sunk in.

Su scored 82.41 points on his first run of three in bright sunshine at Livigno Snow Park to lay down a marker and was never caught, upgrading the silver he won in Beijing.

Japan’s Taiga Hasegawa was second with 82.13 while US snowboarder Jake Canter (79.36) won bronze, with the best run of three counting.

Su, whose success comes during Lunar New Year celebrations in China, was overcome with emotion at the end of his final run and again when he stood on the podium.

The 2022 big air champion qualified for the slopestyle final in eighth position but established an early grip on Wednesday’s competition in the Italian Alps, edging past Hasegawa with his first effort.

He failed to improve on his score but ultimately it did not matter.

“There’s no better way, you know, this is like the best ever,” he said. “I was actually thinking there’s no better gift for myself for my 22nd birthday, so I really appreciate it.”

Su took a long break from snowboarding after the Beijing Games, suffering from burnout and a lack of motivation, but won silver at last year’s world championships to show he was back in business.

“After Beijing (2022), I decided to take two years off and then try to come back at the highest level, but it was not easy at all,” he said.

“I had so many injuries, so many hard times. I’m really proud of myself to come back on this stage and then perform in the best way that I want, that I can.”

Su, who won big air bronze earlier in the Games and now has four Olympic medals, said he could not control his emotions after he had finished competing.

“So many emotions just came up to my head and then I started to realise today was my birthday and then my parents are here to support me and my coaches out there, you know, everybody is here to support me.

“The emotions just came and I just couldn’t stop crying.”

China had failed to win a single gold until Su’s triumph – a huge disappointment after winning nine at their home Games four years ago.

But just a couple of hours later they doubled their tally when freestyle skier Xu Mengtao won the women’s aerials final.