Eileen Gu

Chinese-American freestyle skier who won Olympic gold in halfpipe and became the youngest Olympic freestyle skiing champion at Beijing 2022.

Born in San Francisco on September 3, 2003, to a Chinese mother and American father, Eileen Gu began skiing at age three and started competing in freestyle events as a young teenager. Raised primarily by her mother Yan Gu in California, she maintained strong connections to both her American and Chinese heritage throughout her childhood. Her early promise in freestyle skiing became evident when she began winning junior competitions, demonstrating exceptional versatility across multiple disciplines. Gu's career reached new heights following her 2019 decision to compete internationally for China rather than the United States. She made her World Cup debut in 2019 and quickly established herself as a formidable competitor across three distinct freestyle disciplines: halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air. Her breakthrough came at the 2021 World Championships in Aspen, where she won gold medals in halfpipe and slopestyle, becoming the first athlete to claim world titles in both events at the same championships. The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics marked the pinnacle of Gu's competitive achievements. Competing on home soil for China, she delivered one of the most remarkable multi-event performances in Olympic freestyle skiing history. She captured gold in big air and halfpipe while earning silver in slopestyle, becoming only the second freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Olympics. Her big air victory was particularly dramatic, as she landed her first-ever 1620 in competition during her final run to secure the gold medal. Beyond her athletic accomplishments, Gu has significantly elevated the profile of freestyle skiing, particularly in China where winter sports participation surged during the Beijing Olympics period. Her trilingual abilities, academic achievements at Stanford University, and crossover success in modeling and business have made her one of winter sports' most recognizable figures. Her decision to represent China while maintaining her American citizenship sparked global discussion about dual nationality in elite sport, cementing her influence beyond athletic competition. Gu closed the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with a third-run score of 94.75 to win halfpipe gold, adding silvers in slopestyle and Big Air. The three-medal Games took her career Olympic tally to six and made her the most decorated freeskier in Olympic history at just 22.

Technical precision combined with innovative aerial maneuvers and exceptional amplitude

Pioneering athlete who competed for China despite being born in the US, inspiring young skiers globally

• Olympic Gold Medal - Halfpipe (2022)
• Olympic Silver Medal - Slopestyle (2022)
• World Championships Gold - Halfpipe (2021)
• X Games Gold Medal - Halfpipe (2021)
• Olympic freeski halfpipe champion (2026)
• Olympic silver, slopestyle & Big Air (2026)