Eileen Gu, the 22-year-old freestyle skier, stood at the top of the hill, her eyes fixed on the daunting jump that lay ahead. The Milano Cortina women’s freestyle big air final was about to begin, and Gu knew she needed a stellar performance to secure a spot on the podium. With a deep breath, she dropped in.
Launching off the lip, Gu executed a flawless left-side double cork 1260, a move she had only mastered a week prior. She twisted through the air, reaching back to grab the outside of her right ski with precision. As she landed smoothly, she couldn’t contain her excitement, exclaiming, “What the heck?!”
The judges awarded Gu a score of 89.00, catapulting her into the silver medal position. It was a remarkable achievement for Gu, who had not competed in this discipline since winning gold in Beijing four years ago at just 18 years old. As the competition concluded, Gu celebrated with her fans, her mother Yan, the gold medalist Megan Oldham of Canada, and even Thomas Bach, the former International Olympic Committee president, who had been cheering her on from the sidelines.
In a pre-Games interview, Gu had expressed her desire to land runs that she could be proud of at the Olympics. Born in San Francisco but competing for China, where her mother hails from, Gu is a five-time freestyle skiing medalist. Her impressive track record includes a gold in Beijing’s big air event, as well as a halfpipe gold and slopestyle silver in China. In Italy, she added a silver in slopestyle to her collection.
Despite her previous success in Beijing, Gu exuded confidence and clarity in our conversation, leaving me to wonder if she ever experienced nerves before a competition. Her poise and skill on the slopes are truly unmatched.
As Gu continues to dominate the world of freestyle skiing, her future in the sport looks brighter than ever. With her talent, determination, and unwavering support from fans and loved ones, there’s no doubt that Eileen Gu will continue to soar to new heights in her career.
