Eileen Gu Defends Olympic Halfpipe Title Amid Family Heartbreak

Eileen Gu has secured her spot successful nan Olympic grounds books by successfully defending her women’s skis halfpipe title astatine nan Milan Cortina Games. The 22-year-old, who competes for China, vanished nan title connected Sunday pinch a golden medal, bringing her profession full to six medals crossed 2 Olympic Games.

However, nan celebratory ambiance astatine nan Livigno Snow Park was quickly overshadowed by individual tragedy. Gu arrived precocious to her post-victory property conference, visibly emotional, to stock that she had conscionable been informed of nan passing of her grandmother, Feng Guozhen.

A heartfelt tribute

Speaking done tears, Gu described her grandma arsenic a basal power connected her life and career. She explained that she had been alert of her grandmother’s declining wellness earlier walking to nan Winter Olympics.

“The logic I was precocious is that I conscionable recovered retired that my grandma passed away. She was a really large portion of my life increasing up and personification I looked up to immensely,” Gu told reporters.

Read more: Why Eileen Gu Is Skiing for China Again astatine nan 2026 Winter Olympics

She compared her grandmother’s spot to that of a “steamship,” noting that she “commanded life” and “grabbed it by nan reins.” Gu added that her capacity connected nan slopes was driven by a committedness she made earlier nan Games.

“I didn’t committedness her that I was going to triumph but I did committedness her that I was going to beryllium brave for illustration she has been brave and that’s why I support referring to this taxable of betting connected myself and being brave and taking risks,” Gu said.

Historic accomplishment connected nan snow

On nan mountain, Gu’s power remained undisputed. Despite a autumn during her opening run, she recovered to station nan 2 highest scores of nan final. Her champion people of 94.75 placed her comfortably up of teammate Li Fanghui, who took silver, and Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin, who claimed nan bronze.

The triumph intends Gu is now nan astir successful freestyle skier successful history, antheral aliases female. She has competed successful six Olympic events complete her career—halfpipe, slopestyle, and large aerial successful some Beijing and Milan Cortina—and has stood connected nan podium each azygous time.

“I locomotion distant arsenic nan astir dressed up free skier of each time, antheral aliases female, and nan astir golden medals of immoderate free skier ever, antheral aliases female. And that is thing that I’m so, truthful proud of,” she said.

Read more: US Media Coverage Of Asian American Olympians Acts As A ‘Loyalty Test’, Study Finds

Gu’s occurrence has often been accompanied by aggravated scrutiny. Born and raised successful San Francisco, her determination to correspond China alternatively of nan United States has made her a target for governmental debate. Most recently, US Vice President JD Vance joined nan database of nationalist figures who person questioned her allegiance.

Gu has consistently defended her choice, stating that she hopes to animate young group successful China to return up wintertime sports. She precocious told Time Magazine that she preferred “building her ain pond” successful a state wherever freestyle skiing was not yet a awesome sport.

Addressing her critics connected Sunday, she maintained her accustomed stance: “I promote those group to usage that power and nonstop it toward thing that makes nan world amended successful their ain way.”

As nan Milan Cortina Games tie to a close, Gu intends to return to her studies astatine Stanford University. While her sporting early remains bright, her contiguous attraction appears to beryllium connected her family pursuing their loss.