JILIN, Northeast China, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan finally started their gold rush on Wednesday as they raced to victory in two cross-country skiing events while Chinese Olympic runner-up Li Nina lived up to her reputation to take the women's aerials freestyle skiing title on a snowy and windy day.

    In the Alpine skiing, Emiko Kiyosawa from Japan won the women's giant slalom gold medal.

    Kazakhstan, who only bagged two silvers before Wednesday's finals, triumphed twice in the women's 5km classical and men's 30km free.

    In women's classical, Oxana Yatskaya led a 1-2 finish, clocking in 15 minutes and 57.73 seconds, 1.69 seconds ahead of compatriot Svetlana Malakhova.

    "I am honored to win this gold medal," said Yatskaya. "Chinese skiers are competitive in this event, I am very happy that I can beat them for the victory."

    Chinese Wang Chunli, winner of the sprint event on Tuesday, settled for the third place on 16:02.73.

    "I am happy for the bronze," said Wang. "I performed to my normal standard, and the Kazakhstan skiers did better."

    Wang also participated in the biathlon competitions of the Games.

    Later on, Kazakhstan, a traditional powerhouse in winter sports, made a clean sweep of medals in the men's 30km free skiing.

    Maxim Odnodvortsev took the gold medal in 1:22:44, beating compatriots Andrey Kondryshev and Andrey Golovko to second and third in 1:24:05 and 1:24:32 respectively.

    Olympic silver medalist Li Nina led a Chinese one-two finish in the freestyle skiing women's aerials under treacherous weather conditions.