Brita Sigourney hails USA teammate Maddie Bowman

American freestyle skier Brita Sigourney believes that her compatriot Maddie Bowman deservedly won the women's half-pipe event at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The 20-year-old finished ahead of Marie Martinod and Ayana Onozuka to clinch the gold medal in Sochi on Thursday.

"She said that she wanted me to win and she's so proud of me," the Washington Post quotes Sigourney as saying.

"I told her to shut up because she deserves this more than anyone."

Sigourney, 24, finished sixth in the event.