Cutting short an interview to turn and watch his teammate's jump, Jia Zongyang seemed more anxious than anyone inside Genting Snow Park about the destination of the gold medal.

Around half an hour earlier, Jia's chances of a medal had slipped away after a mistake in his second jump of the men's aerials finals. That disappointment, however, couldn't diminish his interest in the gold-medal battle.

When China's Qi Guangpu was announced as champion, Jia squatted down, covering his face. When he stood up, his eyes were moist with tears and a smile flashed across his face.

"Of course it's a pity for me, but why would I be unhappy now? Although I'm not the champion, I feel happy (for my teammate)," said Jia. "The sun has to rise tomorrow, and I have to face the result too.

"I hope people can remember this year's Games. Although I failed, the championship still belongs to us. So I hope everyone can remember this wonderful moment, a very proud moment that epitomizes the energy of this Chinese team. The past has gone."

With an individual silver from the 2018 Pyeongchang Games and a team silver this year, four-time Olympian Jia had been considered one of the favorites to triumph on Wednesday.

"I could have produced a better performance today, but looking back on it, I think I've done alright for myself－I was able to stand on the final stage at the Olympics four times, including three times on the podium," Jia said.

"There are some regrets, but they are certainly outweighed by the satisfaction. This is the nature of competitive sports."

Asked if he would attempt to chase glory at the next Winter Olympics, the 31-year-old said he would likely take some time off before deciding.

In 2015, Jia broke both his legs in an accident and required the insertion of 22 steel pins to fix the damage.

However, he refused to use those injuries as an excuse for Wednesday's disappointing result and remained grateful for his career to date.

"Four years of training and preparation are over now," Jia said. "I failed, but people still gave me applause－this recognition is enough for me."