Eileen Gu - Wikipedia

Freestyle skier (born 2003)

This article contains one or more duplicated citations. The reason given is: DuplicateReferences script detected: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/03/sports/olympics/eileen-gu-china-freeski.html (refs: 7, 83) https://weibo.com/3639470012/HxIo10nDY (refs: 51, 62) https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-60277353 (refs: 53, 76, 84) https://www.economist.com/1843/2022/02/03/cold-warrior-why-eileen-gu-ditched-team-usa-to-ski-for-china (refs: 61, 69, 74, 77, 85) https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3125947/eileen-gu-calls-out-domestic-terrorism-asian-americans-amid-spike (refs: 80, 81) It is recommended to use named references to consolidate citations that are used multiple times. (February 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

"Gu Ailing" redirects here. For the American poet with this Chinese name, see Eleanor Goodman. In this Chinese name, the family name is Gu. Eileen Gu

Gu at the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics
Personal information
Full name	Eileen Feng Gu 谷爱凌 (Gǔ Àilíng)
Born	(2003-09-03) September 3, 2003 (age 22)San Francisco, California, U.S.
Education	Stanford University
Height	175 cm (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Sport
Sport	Skiing
Club	Beijing Nanshan Ski Resort (2019–present)[2] Squaw Valley Ski Team (2018–2019)[2]
Medal record Women's freestyle skiing Representing  China Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 2 2 0 World Championships 2 0 1 Winter X Games 3 0 1 Winter Youth Olympics 2 1 0 Total 9 3 2 Olympic Games 2022 Beijing Big air 2022 Beijing Halfpipe 2022 Beijing Slopestyle 2026 Milano–Cortina Slopestyle World Championships 2021 Aspen Halfpipe 2021 Aspen Slopestyle 2021 Aspen Big air Winter X Games 2024 Aspen Superpipe 2021 Aspen Superpipe 2021 Aspen Slopestyle 2021 Aspen Big air Winter Youth Olympics 2020 Lausanne Big air 2020 Lausanne Halfpipe 2020 Lausanne Slopestyle

Ailing Eileen Gu
Simplified Chinese	谷爱凌
Traditional Chinese	谷愛凌
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Gǔ Àilíng Bopomofo ㄍㄨˇ ㄞˋ ㄌㄧㄥˊ Wade–Giles Ku3 Ai4-ling2 Tongyong Pinyin Gǔ Ài-líng IPA [kù âɪ.lǐŋ]

Eileen Feng Gu (born September 3, 2003), also known by her Chinese name Gu Ailing (谷爱凌), is a freestyle skier. Born in the United States, she has competed for China in halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air events since 2019.

At age 18, Gu became the youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing after winning gold medals in big air and halfpipe, and a silver medal in slopestyle, at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. She is the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Winter Olympics. Her decision to compete for China was controversial, drawing international attention.

Time named Gu as one of the 100 most influential people in the world under its Pioneers category on its annual list in 2022;[3] she was subsequently featured on the magazine's February 9, 2026 edition.[4] Forbes listed her as the second-highest earning female athlete in the world in 2023.[5]

Early life and education

Eileen Gu was born on September 3, 2003, in San Francisco, California, United States.[6] Her mother, Yan Gu (Chinese: 谷燕; pinyin: Gǔ Yàn), is a first-generation Chinese immigrant to the United States. Her father is American. Her maternal grandfather was the chief electrical engineer of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of China.[7]

Yan received a master's degree in chemical engineering at Peking University, where she was a member of the short-track speed skating team.[7][8] She then returned to the U.S. and moved to the Bay Area to attend Stanford University Graduate School of Business and worked in finance after earning her MBA.[9]

Yan raised her daughter as a single mother in San Francisco's Sea Cliff neighborhood.[7] At three years old, Gu began skiing in Lake Tahoe, where Yan once worked as a part-time ski instructor. She joined the Northstar California Resort free-ski team at eight and won her first national championship at nine.[10]

Gu attended primary and middle school at the Katherine Delmar Burke School and went to high school at San Francisco University High. Every summer, she attended cram school in Beijing for mathematics.[11] She scored 1580 out of 1600 on her SAT.[2]

Gu earned early admittance to Stanford University, her mother's alma mater, in December 2020.[12] She entered the freshman class in 2022,[13][12] the same year she was presented as a debutante at Le Bal des débutantes in Paris.[14] While at Stanford, she joined Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.[15] Majoring in international relations, Gu took time off in the 2025–26 academic year to prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics.[16]

Sports career

In 2021, Gu became the first woman to land a forward double cork 1440 in competition history.[17]

Coaches

Gu's coaches have included Jamie Melton, head coach of the Chinese National Slopestyle and Big Air Training Team for the 2022 Winter Olympics,[18] and Brad Prosser, who met Gu when she was ten. In 2018, he became the technical coach guide to the Chinese national team for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Her personal coach for the 2022 Olympics was Misra Noto Torniainen, the former coach of the Swiss freeski team.[19] Torniainen coached Olympic medalists Sarah Höfflin and Mathilde Gremaud for the 2018 Winter Olympics.[20][21]

X Games

See also: X Games

At the 2021 Winter X Games, Gu won a bronze medal in Big Air and two gold medals in SuperPipe and Slopestyle, becoming the first rookie to win a gold medal in Women's Ski SuperPipe, the first rookie to medal in three events, and the first athlete representing China to win a gold medal at the X Games.[22][23][24]

At the 2024 Winter X Games, Gu won gold in SuperPipe despite injuring her right hip during the X Games Slopestyle training. She wrote "Pain is Temporary" on her hand, and showed it to the cameras during the finals. Due to the pain, she did not participate in Slopestyle.[25]

World Championships

See also: FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships

Gu competed at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships 2021, winning two gold medals in Freeski Halfpipe and Freeski Slopestyle and a bronze medal in Freeski Big Air. Gu became the first freeskier to win two golds at the FIS Freeski World Championship.[26][27] She competed without poles for the first time due to a broken hand, having fractured a finger and tearing the UCL in her thumb.[28][29][30]

2022 Winter Olympics

See also: 2022 Winter Olympics

At the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Gu became the youngest gold medalist in freestyle skiing, winning the big air freestyle skiing event, the first to be held at the Olympics.[31] Gu landed a double cork 1620, her first attempt in competition.[32] She was the second woman to land the trick and the first woman to land a left-turn 1620;[33] Tess Ledeux first successfully completed a double cork 1620 on 21 January 2022, at the X Games in Aspen, Colorado,[34] Gu landed it again in her first run of the big air final at the 2022 Winter Olympics.[35][36]

Gu won the silver medal in the slopestyle event.[37] She won a second gold medal in the women's freeski halfpipe competition, becoming the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a Winter Olympics.[38][39] She was awarded the Best Breakthrough Athlete and Best Female Action Sports Athlete ESPY Awards at the 2022 ESPY Awards.[40][41]

World Cup results

See also: FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup

Gu ended the 2021–22 World Cup season with a perfect record in women's halfpipe, taking her first career crystal globe and becoming the first freestyle skier to win four consecutive World Cup competitions.[42][43][44] She won a second crystal globe during the same season, placing first in park and pike overall.[45]

All results are sourced from the International Ski Federation.[46]

• 8 wins: 5 Halfpipe, 2 Slopestyle, 1 Big Air
• 12 podiums: 6 Halfpipe, 5 Slopestyle, 1 Big Air

Representing	Season	Date	Location	Discipline	Place
United States	2018–19	January 12, 2019	Font Romeu, France	Slopestyle	2nd
		January 27, 2019	Seiser Alm, Italy	Slopestyle	1st
China	2019–20	September 7, 2019	Cardrona, New Zealand	Halfpipe	2nd
		February 14, 2020	Calgary, Canada	Halfpipe	1st
		February 15, 2020	Calgary, Canada	Slopestyle	1st
	2020–21	November 21, 2020	Stubai, Austria	Slopestyle	3rd
	2021–22	December 4, 2021	Steamboat, United States	Big Air	1st
		December 10, 2021	Copper Mountain, United States	Halfpipe	1st
		December 30, 2021	Calgary, Canada	Halfpipe	1st
		January 1, 2022	Calgary, Canada	Halfpipe	1st
		January 8, 2022	Mammoth Mountain, United States	Halfpipe	1st
		January 9, 2022	Mammoth Mountain, United States	Slopestyle	2nd

Results current through 1 February 2022.

2026 Winter Olympics

See also: 2026 Winter Olympics

Gu repeated as silver medalist in slopestyle at the 2026 Winter Olympics, bringing her Olympic medal tally to four.[47]

Nationality and citizenship

Gu competed for the United States at the 2018–19 FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup. She began competing for China in June 2019 after requesting a change of nation with the International Ski Federation. Her goal was to compete for China in the 2022 Winter Olympics.[48][49][50] She announced the change on Weibo[51] and Instagram,[49] stating that through skiing she hopes "to help inspire millions of young people" in China and "to unite people, promote common understanding, create communication, and forge friendships between nations".[48]

There has been considerable controversy related to Gu's citizenship and nationality.[52] The Chinese Consulate General in New York told the BBC that Gu would need to be naturalized or gain permanent residency status in China to compete for its team; in the same article, it was reported that the Chinese Ministry of Justice in 2020 broadened rules for foreigners, allowing people who achieved international recognition in sport, science, culture and other fields to obtain permanent residency.[53][54] In January 2024, Gu said that she planned to represent China at the 2026 Winter Olympics.[55]

In an interview in May 2022, Gu referred to herself as an Asian American.[56] In an interview with ESPN in 2021, she said: "Since I was little, I've always said when I'm in the U.S., I'm American, but when I'm in China, I'm Chinese."[57][58] In 2022, in an interview with the South China Morning Post, she said: "Nobody can deny I'm American, nobody can deny I'm Chinese".[59]

In February 2025, the Beijing city government released a document about spending US$6.64 million for the training of Gu and fellow US-born athlete Zhu Yi, though later their names were removed from the document and articles on the topic were censored on several Chinese websites.[60]

Sponsorships, endorsements, and modeling career

As a "young American freestyle champion" at Nanshan Ski Resort, Gu had sponsorships in China at nine years old through connections with the resort's owner[61] and China's ski industry.[62] These included several Chinese sponsors, The North Face, and CCTV9.[62]

Prior to the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics, Gu was the face of multiple brands in China.[63] Gu has endorsed brands in China across sports, fashion, and banking.[63] Some of her partnerships in China include Mengniu Dairy, Luckin Coffee, JD.com, China Mobile, People's Insurance Company of China, Bank of China, Anta Sports, and Bosideng.[63][64] It was reported that she earned over US$30 million in endorsements and advertising contracts in 2021 alone.[63][38][65] According to media reports, her average fee per endorsement increased from $1 million in 2021 to $2 to $2.5 million in 2022.[63][66] In 2026, she was the fourth-highest paid female athlete in the world based on earnings of US$23.1million in 2025.[67]

In the U.S., Gu is represented by IMG Models.[68][12] She has appeared on the covers of magazines such as the Chinese editions of Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Marie Claire, V, L'Officiel, and Vogue.[12][69] Gu has been featured in campaigns for Western luxury brands including Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. and is a brand ambassador for IWC Schaffhausen.[68][12] She is a Red Bull-sponsored athlete, a founding member of Victoria's Secret's VS Collective, and has an endorsement deal with Porsche.[70][71]

In 2023, Forbes listed Gu as the second-highest paid female athlete in the world.[5] In 2024, she was the world's third-highest paid female athlete.[64] In 2026, she was the fourth-highest paid female athlete in the world based on earnings of US$23.1million in 2025.[67]

In August 2025, consumer electronics company TCL appointed Gu as a global brand ambassador.[72][73]

Personal life

Gu was raised by her mother and maternal grandmother. In 2002, a year before Gu was born, Gu Yan's sister Gu Ling died in a car crash. Gu's mother decided to name her "Ailing" (爱凌), literally translating to "Love Ling" and anglicized as "Eileen", in her sister's honor.[74] In China, she uses the nickname "青蛙公主" ("Frog Princess") on her Chinese social media accounts. The nickname comes from a green helmet she once wore during competition.[75]

Gu speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and English.[76][77] She plays the piano as a hobby.[68] In May 2022, Gu mentioned that she had converted to Buddhism.[78][79]

Social and political views

During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, after the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings and the killing of Vicha Ratanapakdee, Gu spoke out against anti-Asian racism. She has described her own experience with anti-Asian racism, which included a man screaming obscenities about "Asians infecting America" with COVID-19 while she was shopping with her grandmother.[80] She supports the Black Lives Matter movement[76][81] and the right to legal access to abortion.[82] Gu has largely declined to comment on social and political topics involving China, with critics accusing her of hypocrisy.[83][84][85]

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in freestyle skiing
• List of Youth Olympic Games gold medalists who won Olympic gold medals

References

1. ^ "Eileen Gu". IMG Models. Archived from the original on December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
2. ^ a b c "GU Ailing Eileen - Athlete Information". FIS. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
3. ^ "Eileen Gu is on the 2022 Time 100 List". Time. May 23, 2022. Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
4. ^ Gregory, Sean (January 22, 2026). "'I Don't Believe in Limits.' How Eileen Gu Became Freestyle Skiing's Biggest Star". Time.com (02.09.2026 ed.).
5. ^ a b Knight, Brett. "The World's Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2023". Forbes. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
6. ^ "Eileen Gu". Red Bull. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
7. ^ a b c Branch, John (February 3, 2022). "Eileen Gu Is Trying to Soar Over the Geopolitical Divide". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
8. ^ "Winter Olympics: Chinese freestyle ski star Eileen Gu's mother gives advice to parents hoping to ra.ise a champion". South China Morning Post. February 9, 2022. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
9. ^ Qin, Amy (February 13, 2022). "After a reply on Instagram, Eileen Gu faces criticism over 'special treatment.'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
10. ^ "Eileen Gu: Watch Everyday Eileen freeskiing TV show". Red Bull. December 15, 2021. Archived from the original on March 6, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
11. ^ "How citizenship row clouded Eileen Gu's Olympics". The Guardian. February 18, 2022. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
12. ^ a b c d e Paul, Trinetra (January 25, 2022). "Everything You Should Know About Olympic Skier and Model Eileen Gu". LifestyleAsia.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
13. ^ Murphy, Bryan (February 7, 2022). "All About Eileen Gu, the Chinese-American Olympic Freestyle Skier – NBC New York". NBC New York. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
14. ^ "Le Bal des Débutantes is Back at the Shangri-La Paris Hotel". Airmaillanguage=en. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
15. ^ Becque, Fran (February 4, 2026). "Fraternity and Sorority Members Competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics". Fraternity History & More. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
16. ^ "Meet the Stanford undergrads heading to the Winter Olympics". news.stanford.edu. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
17. ^ "China's Eileen Gu stomps world's first women's freeski double cork 1440". Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
18. ^ Colbert, Austin (January 31, 2021). "New star Eileen Gu wins second gold, third medal in historic X Games Aspen debut". Aspen Times. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
19. ^ "Olympics freeski star Eileen Gu's delicate balancing act between China and the U.S." ESPN. February 1, 2022. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
20. ^ "Anzeiger Bezirk Affoltern: Gold-Trainer aus Mettmenstetten". Affolter Anzeiger. Archived from the original on July 28, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
21. ^ "Sarah Höfflin et Mathilde Gremaud, ensemble c'est tout". Le Temps (in French). February 18, 2018. ISSN 1423-3967. Archived from the original on June 13, 2022. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
22. ^ Calvert, Sean. "25 years of the X Games and no one has done what Eileen Gu just did". Red Bull. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
23. ^ Gauthier, Andrew. "Blunck Silver, Irving Bronze at X Games Aspen Superpipe". U.S. Ski & Snowboard. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
24. ^ Wilson, Olivia (January 30, 2021). "X Games Aspen 2021 Day One News and Results". ESPN Press Room. Archived from the original on February 20, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
25. ^ Osberger-Low, Madison (January 28, 2024). "Eileen Gu's return to X Games Aspen superpipe ends much like first — with a gold medal". Aspen Times. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
26. ^ "Aspen 2021 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships – Overall Results – Women's Freeski Halfpipe" (PDF). data.fis-ski.com. Fédération Internationale de Ski et de Snowboard. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 7, 2022. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
27. ^ Clavin, Mark (March 13, 2021). "Gu and Porteous clinch halfpipe gold medals in Aspen". fis-ski.com. Fédération Internationale de Ski et de Snowboard. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
28. ^ McNicol, Andrew (March 23, 2021). "Chinese-American skier Eileen Gu 'deeply honoured' to lead China's winter push". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
29. ^ Majendie, Matt. "Eileen Gu is so good she can win freeski world titles without using poles". Red Bull. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
30. ^ McCarvel, Nick. "Competing with broken hand and no poles, China's Gu Ailing Eileen soars to freeski halfpipe title at worlds". Olympics. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
31. ^ Brewer, Jerry (February 8, 2022). "Eileen Gu is an original, and the world is going to have to deal with it". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
32. ^ Diaz, Jaclyn (February 8, 2022). "Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu stuns with final big air trick and wins gold". NPR. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
33. ^ Reardon, Logan. "These 2022 Olympians Were the Biggest Breakout Stars of the Winter Games". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
34. ^ Bruton, Michelle. "Tess Ledeux Changed The Game For Female Freestyle Skiers Right Before The Olympics". Forbes. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
35. ^ Nee, Liam (February 8, 2022). "China's Eileen Gu stomps 1620 to win first Olympic gold in freeski big air". KPRC. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
36. ^ "Ledeux of France hits 1620 on opening run of big air final". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on February 13, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
37. ^ "Olympian Eileen Gu, 18, finishes second in women's ski slopestyle, snares second medal in Beijing". ESPN. February 15, 2022. Archived from the original on February 15, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
38. ^ a b Branch, John (February 18, 2022). "Eileen Gu wins gold in freeski halfpipe, earning her third medal in China". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
39. ^ Gan, Nectar. "China's Eileen Gu wins gold in freeski halfpipe to make Olympic history". CNN. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
40. ^ "2022 ESPYS: Full list of award winners". ESPN.com. July 20, 2022. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
41. ^ "ESPY Awards 2022: Eileen Gu Wins Best Breakthrough Athlete Award". GlamStyled.com. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
42. ^ "Gu wins first crystal globe after perfect World Cup season". Reuters. January 9, 2022. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
43. ^ Calvert, Sean. "Simply perfection as Eileen Gu takes home first crystal globe". Red Bull. Archived from the original on February 22, 2022. Retrieved February 22, 2022.
44. ^ "China's Eileen Gu caps off Freestyle Ski World Cup season with flawless half-pipe run, wins first crystal globe". South China Morning Post. January 9, 2022. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
45. ^ "World Cup calendar and results". International Ski Federation. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
46. ^ "GU Ailing Eileen - Athlete Information - Results". FIS. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
47. ^ Press, Associated (February 7, 2026). "Gu shakes off fall to qualify for Olympic slopestyle final". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 9, 2026.
48. ^ a b Bachman, Rachel (January 10, 2022). "China's Star Skier Was Born in the USA—and Still Lives There". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
49. ^ a b @eileen_gu_; (June 6, 2019). "I have decided to compete for China in the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics..." – via Instagram.
50. ^ "Olympic Charter" (PDF). Olympics. July 17, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
51. ^ Gu, Ailing. June 6, 2019. https://weibo.com/3639470012/HxIo10nDY Archived March 5, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. Weibo.
52. ^ "Eileen Gu to hog Winter Games spotlight again but passport issue won't go away". South China Morning Post. January 31, 2026. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
53. ^ "Eileen Gu: US-China tension is trickiest slope for Olympic free skier". BBC. February 7, 2022. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
54. ^ "Olympic skier Eileen Gu sparks a debate about dual nationality". The Economist. February 17, 2022. Archived from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022. The International Olympic Committee says that Ms Gu acquired Chinese nationality in 2019 and that China's Olympic body produced a copy of her Chinese passport.
55. ^ Pells, Eddie (January 29, 2024). "Eileen Gu chooses 'All of the Above' when faced with choices involving skiing, Stanford and style". AP. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
56. ^ "Eileen Gu on Her Mixed and Matched Louis Vuitton Outfit". Vogue. May 2, 2022. Archived from the original on May 31, 2022. Retrieved May 31, 2022.
57. ^ Gao, Ao (January 27, 2020). "U.S. teen skier looks to inspire Chinese young women through sports". ESPN. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
58. ^ Binner, Andrew (January 19, 2021). "Five things you didn't know about freestyle skiing prodigy Gu Ailing Eileen". Olympics.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
59. ^ McNicol, Andrew (March 28, 2021). "How star skier Eileen Gu intends to empower young Chinese women". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
60. ^ "US-born Eileen Gu's US$6.6m training budget censored on Chinese internet". Hong Kong Free Press. AFP. February 26, 2025. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
61. ^ Larmer, Brook (February 3, 2022). "Cold warrior: why Eileen Gu ditched Team USA to ski for China". The Economist. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022. Her name has never appeared on the US Treasury Department's list of expatriated individuals. In January 2021, she became a candidate for a US Presidential Scholars Programme open only to US citizens or permanent residents. Gu still spends far more time in America than in China and will return to attend Stanford in the autumn.
62. ^ a b Gu, Ailing. June 6, 2019. https://weibo.com/3639470012/HxIo10nDY Archived March 5, 2023, at the Wayback Machine. Weibo.
63. ^ a b c d e Yip, Waiyee. "Eileen Gu has made big bucks as the face of more than 20 brands in China, raking in $31.4 million in endorsement deals in 2021 alone". Insider. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2022.
64. ^ a b Knight, Brett. "Forbes Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2024 List". Forbes. Retrieved April 10, 2025.
65. ^ "$42 million truth emerges in Eileen Gu furore at Winter Olympics". February 15, 2022. Archived from the original on February 17, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
66. ^ "How much money is Eileen Gu making from the Winter Olympics?". Yahoo! Finance. February 14, 2022. Archived from the original on May 21, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
67. ^ a b Harpur, Charlotte (February 11, 2026). "Eileen Gu: The Winter Olympian who earns $23m a year — but just $100k of it from her sport". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 12, 2026.
68. ^ a b c Carpenter, Les (January 31, 2022). "Eileen Gu: Born and raised in America, skiing for China". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
69. ^ "Cold warrior: why Eileen Gu ditched Team USA to ski for China". The Economist. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
70. ^ "The VS Collective". Victoria's Secret. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
71. ^ Maheshwari, Sapna; Friedman, Vanessa (June 16, 2021). "Victoria's Secret Swaps Angels for 'What Women Want.' Will They Buy It?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 19, 2022. Retrieved April 19, 2022.
72. ^ "TCL appoints Olympic ski champion Eileen Gu as Global Brand Ambassador" (Press release). PR Newswire. August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
73. ^ "TCL宣布谷爱凌任全球品牌代言人 将共赴2026米兰冬奥". China Economic Net (in Chinese). August 18, 2025. Retrieved August 20, 2025.
74. ^ Larmer, Brook (February 3, 2022). "Cold warrior: why Eileen Gu ditched Team USA to ski for China". The Economist. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
75. ^ Keh, Andrew; Liu, John (February 15, 2022). "Fly High, Frog Princess! Well Done, Chen No. 3!". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 31, 2022. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
76. ^ a b Deng, Boer; Silic, Anamaria (February 7, 2022). "Eileen Gu: US-China tension is trickiest slope for Olympic free skier". BBC. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
77. ^ Larmer, Brook (February 3, 2022). "Cold warrior: why Eileen Gu ditched Team USA to ski for China". The Economist. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
78. ^ "谷爱凌：我已信仰佛教 摆脱外界舆论与声誉的影响 - 国际 - 即时国际". Sin Chew. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
79. ^ "5 Winter Olympians Who Rely On Faith In The Quest For Gold". Religion Unplugged. February 4, 2026. Retrieved February 10, 2026.
80. ^ Yan, Alice (March 18, 2021). "Chinese-American skier Gu laments 'absurd' violence towards Asian-Americans". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
81. ^ McNicol, Andrew (March 18, 2021). "Eileen Gu Calls Out 'Domestic Terrorism' of Asian-Americans Amid Spike in Coronavirus-Related Violence—'Killing More Asian People Isn't Going to Kill the Virus'". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
82. ^ "Aspen Ideas Festival reacts to a post-Roe world". Aspen Public Radio. June 30, 2022. Archived from the original on July 30, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
83. ^ Branch, John (February 3, 2022). "Eileen Gu Is Trying to Soar Over the Geopolitical Divide". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
84. ^ "Eileen Gu: US-China tension is trickiest slope for Olympic free skier". BBC. February 7, 2022. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
85. ^ Larmer, Brook (February 3, 2022). "Cold warrior: why Eileen Gu ditched Team USA to ski for China". The Economist. Retrieved February 15, 2026.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eileen Gu.

• Eileen Gu at FIS (freestyle)
• Eileen Gu at Olympics.com
• Eileen Gu at Olympedia
• Eileen Gu at InterSportStats
• "Video: Beijing Winter Olympics Medal Ceremony: Gu Ailing Stands on the Highest Podium Again". CCTV. February 18, 2022.

v t e Olympic champions in women's freestyle skiing
Aerials	1994:  Lina Cheryazova (UZB) 1998:  Nikki Stone (USA) 2002:  Alisa Camplin (AUS) 2006:  Evelyne Leu (SUI) 2010:  Lydia Lassila (AUS) 2014:  Alla Tsuper (BLR) 2018:  Hanna Huskova (BLR) 2022:  Xu Mengtao (CHN) 2026:
Big air	2022:  Eileen Gu (CHN) 2026:
Halfpipe	2014:  Maddie Bowman (USA) 2018:  Cassie Sharpe (CAN) 2022:  Eileen Gu (CHN) 2026:
Moguls	1992:  Donna Weinbrecht (USA) 1994:  Stine Lise Hattestad (NOR) 1998:  Tae Satoya (JPN) 2002:  Kari Traa (NOR) 2006:  Jennifer Heil (CAN) 2010:  Hannah Kearney (USA) 2014:  Justine Dufour-Lapointe (CAN) 2018:  Perrine Laffont (FRA) 2022:  Jakara Anthony (AUS) 2026:  Elizabeth Lemley (USA)
Dual moguls	2026:  Jakara Anthony (AUS)
Ski cross	2010:  Ashleigh McIvor (CAN) 2014:  Marielle Thompson (CAN) 2018:  Kelsey Serwa (CAN) 2022:  Sandra Näslund (SWE) 2026:
Slopestyle	2014:  Dara Howell (CAN) 2018:  Sarah Höfflin (SUI) 2022:  Mathilde Gremaud (SUI) 2026:  Mathilde Gremaud (SUI)

v t e World champions in women's freestyle skiing half-pipe
2005: Sarah Burke 2007: Cancelled 2009: Virginie Faivre 2011: Rosalind Groenewoud 2013: Virginie Faivre 2015: Virginie Faivre 2017: Ayana Onozuka 2019: Kelly Sildaru 2021: Gu Ailing 2023: Hanna Faulhaber 2025: Zoe Atkin

v t e World champions in women's freestyle skiing slopestyle
2011: Anna Segal (AUS) 2013: Kaya Turski (CAN) 2015: Lisa Zimmermann (GER) 2017: Tess Ledeux (FRA) 2019: Cancelled 2021: Gu Ailing (CHN) 2023: Mathilde Gremaud (SUI) 2025: Mathilde Gremaud (SUI)

v t e Youth Olympic champions in freestyle skiing– girls' halfpipe
2012:  Elisabeth Gram (AUT) 2016:  Madison Rowlands (GBR) 2020:  Gu Ailing (CHN) 2024:  Liu Yishan (CHN)
Bold: Olympic medalists in Freestyle skiing

v t e Youth Olympic champions in freestyle skiing – girls' big air
2020:  Gu Ailing (CHN) 2024:  Flora Tabanelli (ITA)
Bold: Olympic medalists in Freestyle skiing

v t e Xinhua News Agency's Top Ten Chinese Athletes of the Year
1999	Sun Wen (Football) Xie Jun (Chess) Liu Guoliang (Table tennis) Liu Hongyu (Athletics) Wang Nan (Table tennis) Dong Zhen (Gymnastics) Chen Hua (Swimming) Sun Jun (Badminton) Li Jiajun (Short track speed skating) Shi Zhiyong (Weightlifting)
2000	Xiong Ni (Diving) Li Xiaopeng (Gymnastics) Fu Mingxia (Diving) Sun Wen (Football) Ji Xinpeng (Badminton) Kong Linghui (Table tennis) Wang Nan (Table tennis) Wang Liping (Athletics) Xie Jun (Chess) Tao Luna (Shooting)
2001	Wang Nan (Table tennis) Zhu Chen (Chess) Wang Liqin (Table tennis) Luo Xuejuan (Swimming) Yuan Hua (Judo) Dong Yanmei (Athletics) Sun Wen (Football) Yang Yang (A) (Short track speed skating) Wang Zhizhi (Basketball) Chen Ying (Shooting)
2002	Yang Yang (A) (Short track speed skating) Yao Ming (Basketball) Li Xiaopeng (Gymnastics) Qi Hui (Swimming) Tao Luna (Shooting) Tan Xue (Fencing) Wu Meijin (Weightlifting) Wu Peng (Swimming) Zhang Yining (Table tennis) Liu Xiang (Athletics)
2003	Yao Ming (Basketball) Li Xiaopeng (Gymnastics) Luo Xuejuan (Swimming) Zhao Ruirui (Volleyball) Wang Nan (Table tennis) Liu Xiang (Athletics) Liu Chunhong (Weightlifting) Sun Yingjie (Athletics) Shen Xue (Figure skating) Zhao Hongbo (Figure skating)
2004	Liu Xiang (Athletics) Zhang Yining (Table tennis) Yao Ming (Basketball) Du Li (Shooting) Luo Xuejuan (Swimming) Meng Guanliang/Yang Wenjun (Canoeing) Feng Kun (Volleyball) Guo Jingjing (Diving) Zhang Ning (Badminton) Tang Gonghong (Weightlifting)
2005	Yao Ming (Basketball) Guo Jingjing (Diving) Zhang Ning (Badminton) Zou Shiming (Amateur Boxing) Chang Hao (Go) Zhang Yining (Table tennis) Liu Xiang (Athletics) Chen Yanqing (Weightlifting) Cheng Fei (Gymnastics) Wu Peng (Swimming)
2006	Liu Xiang (Athletics) Yao Ming (Basketball) Han Xiaopeng (Freestyle skiing) Yang Wei (Gymnastics) Wang Meng (Short track speed skating) Ding Junhui (Snooker) Zheng Jie/Yan Zi (Tennis) Wang Lei (Fencing) Wu Peng (Swimming) Chen Yanqing (Weightlifting)
2007	Liu Xiang (Athletics) Yang Wei (Gymnastics) Shen Xue/Zhao Hongbo (Figure skating) Zhu Qinan (Shooting) Guo Jingjing (Diving) Zhang Guozheng (Weightlifting) Zhu Lin (Badminton) Zou Shiming (Amateur Boxing) Wu Peng (Swimming) Guo Yue (Table tennis)
2008	Guo Jingjing (Diving) Liu Zige (Swimming) Zhang Juanjuan (Archery) Zhang Yining (Table tennis) Zhong Man (Fencing) Zou Shiming (Amateur Boxing) Yang Wei (Gymnastics) Yin Jian (Sailing) Du Jianping (Para swimming) Tsering Wangmo (Mountain climbing)
2009	Zhang Lin (Swimming) Guo Jingjing (Diving) Liu Zige (Swimming) Bai Xue (Athletics) Lin Dan (Badminton) Wang Meng (Short track speed skating) Wang Hao (Table tennis) Liu Xiang (Athletics) Long Qingquan (Weightlifting) Zhang Yining (Table tennis)
2010	Liu Xiang (Athletics) Lao Yi (Athletics) Sun Yang (Swimming) Wang Meng (Short track speed skating) Zhou Suhong (Volleyball) Lin Dan (Badminton) Shen Xue/Zhao Hongbo (Figure skating) Li Na (Tennis) Jiang Wenwen/Jiang Tingting (Artistic Swimming) Hou Yifan (Chess)
2011	Li Na (Tennis) Sun Yang (Swimming) Zhang Jike (Table tennis) Lin Dan (Badminton) Hou Yifan (Chess) Li Yanfeng (Athletics) Wu Minxia (Diving) Li Na (Fencing) Chen Yibing (Gymnastics) Liu Xiang (Athletics)
2012	Sun Yang (Swimming) Xu Lijia (Sailing) Lin Dan (Badminton) Ye Shiwen (Swimming) Qieyang Shijie (Athletics) Zou Kai (Gymnastics) Lei Sheng (Fencing) Zhang Jike (Table tennis) Feng Shanshan (Golf) Xiong Chaozhong (Professional boxing)
2013	Li Xiaoxia (Table tennis) Ding Junhui (Snooker) Lin Dan (Badminton) Zheng Zhi (Football) Zhang Peimeng (Athletics) Guo Chuan (Marine navigation) Li Na (Tennis) Xiong Chaozhong (Professional boxing) Liao Hui (Weightlifting) He Chong (Diving)
2014	Li Na (Tennis) Ning Zetao (Swimming) Zhang Hong (Speed Skating) Zhang Jike (Table tennis) Yang Haoran (Shooting) Liao Hui (Weightlifting) Lin Dan (Badminton) Yao Jinnan (Gymnastics) Chen Penbin (Ultra-marathon) Zhu Ting (Volleyball)
2015	Su Bingtian (Athletics) Ning Zetao (Swimming) Zhu Ting (Volleyball) Liu Hong (Athletics) Sun Yang (Swimming) Guo Chuan (Marine navigation) Yi Jianlian (Basketball) Chen Penbin (Ultra-marathon) Chen Long (Badminton) Zheng Zhi (Football)
2016	Zhu Ting (Volleyball) Guo Chuan (Marine navigation) Ke Jie (Go) Sun Yang (Swimming) Zhong Tianshi/Gong Jinjie (Track Cycling) Ding Ning (Table tennis) Zhao Shuai (Taekwondo) Han Tianyu (Short track speed skating) Wang Zhen (Athletics) Chen Aisen (Diving)
2017	Sun Yang (Swimming) Gong Lijiao (Athletics) Feng Shanshan (Golf) Zhu Ting (Volleyball) Xu Jiayu (Swimming) Ding Ning (Table tennis) Sui Wenjing/Han Cong (Figure skating) Shi Tingmao (Diving) Xiao Ruoteng (Gymnastics) Luo Jing (Mountain climbing)
2018	Wu Dajing (Short track speed skating) Su Bingtian (Athletics) Xu Jiayu (Swimming) Zhu Ting (Volleyball) Ju Wenjun (Chess) Wang Shuang (Football) Wu Lei (Football) Gong Lijiao (Athletics) Shi Tingmao (Diving) Xiao Ruoteng (Gymnastics)
2019	China women's national volleyball team (Volleyball) Sui Wenjing/Han Cong (Figure skating) Gong Lijiao (Athletics) Liu Shiwen (Table tennis) Sun Yang (Swimming) Xu Can (Professional boxing) Shi Tingmao (Diving) Yi Jianlian (Basketball) Cai Xuetong (Snowboarding) Deng Wei (Weightlifting)
2020	No selection due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021	Yang Qian (Shooting) Su Bingtian (Athletics) Shi Tingmao (Diving) Ma Long (Table tennis) Gong Lijiao (Athletics) Ailing Eileen Gu (Freestyle skiing) Lü Xiaojun (Weightlifting) Zhang Yufei (Swimming) Wang Shun (Swimming) Chen Yufei (Badminton)
2022	Ailing Eileen Gu (Freestyle skiing) Gao Tingyu (Speed skating) Su Yiming (Snowboarding) Xu Mengtao (Freestyle skiing) Wang Jianan (Athletics) Sui Wenjing/Han Cong (Figure skating) Yang Hongqiong (Para cross-country skiing) Zheng Qinwen (Tennis) Zhang Weili (Mixed martial) Chen Yuxi/Quan Hongchan (Diving)
2023	Ding Liren (Chess) Wang Chuqin (Table tennis) China women's national basketball team (Basketball) Wen Xiaoyan (Para Athletics) Liu Qingyi (Breaking) Zhang Zhizhen (Tennis) Zhang Yufei (Swimming) Dong Hongjuan (Mountain climbing) Qin Haiyang (Swimming) Xie Zhenye (Athletics)
2024	Ma Long (Table tennis) China national rhythmic gymnastics team (Gymnastics) Deng Yawen (BMX) Deng Zhixuan (Wushu) Quan Hongchan (Diving) Yang Jiayu (Athletics) Zheng Qinwen (Tennis) Sheng Lihao (Shooting) Jiang Yuyan (Para Swimming) Pan Zhanle (Swimming)
2025	Shi Yuqi (Badminton) Gong Lijiao (Athletics) Liu Huanhua (Weightlifting) Sun Yingsha (Table Tennis) Chen Yuxi (Diving) Su Yiming (Snowboarding) Zou Jingyuan (Gymnastics) Hu Kai (Shooting) Qin Haiyang (Swimming) Jiang Yuyan (Para Swimming)

v t e Best Female Action Sports Athlete ESPY Award winners
2004: Dallas Friday 2005: Sofía Mulánovich 2006: Hannah Teter 2007: Sarah Burke 2008: Gretchen Bleiler 2009: Maya Gabeira 2010: Torah Bright 2011: Stephanie Gilmore 2012: Jamie Anderson 2013: Stephanie Gilmore 2014: Jamie Anderson 2015: Kelly Clark 2016: Jamie Anderson 2017: Anna Gasser 2018: Chloe Kim 2019: Chloe Kim 2020: Award not given 2021: Chloe Kim 2022: Eileen Gu

v t e Anti-Chinese sentiment (Sinophobia)
Background	Anti-Han sentiment Coolie Yellow Peril Chinese emigration The Unparalleled Invasion Japanese nationalism Minzoku De-Sinicization
By persecutor	Adriaan Valckenier Andrew Jackson Bryant Denis Kearney Hideki Tojo Suharto Pol Pot Plaek Phibunsongkhram
By country	Hong Kong India Indonesia Japan Racism in Japan Korea Malaysia Racism in Malaysia Ketuanan Melayu Myanmar Nazi Germany Philippines Singapore Taiwan Thailand United States China Initiative Vietnam
By institution	Anti-Chinese Union Asiatic Exclusion League Canadian Brotherhood of Railway Employees Tsagaan Khas Uyoku dantai
By incident	17th century Sangley Rebellion (1603) Sangley Rebellion (1639) Sangley Massacre (1662) 18th century 1740 Batavia massacre 1782 Saigon massacre 19th century Buckland riot (1857) Lambing Flat riots (1860–1861) Anti-Coolie Act (1862) Los Angeles Chinese massacre of 1871 Pigtail Ordinance (1873) Page Act of 1875 Trout Creek Outrage (1876) San Francisco riot of 1877 New Zealand head tax (1881–1944) Chinese Exclusion Act (1882–1943) Royal Commission on Chinese Immigration (1885) Chinese Immigration Act, 1885 Attack on Squak Valley Chinese laborers, 1885 Tacoma riot of 1885 Rock Springs massacre (1885) Pierce City lynching (1885) 1885 Chinese expulsion from Eureka Chinese head tax (1885–1923) Seattle riot of 1886 1886 Vancouver anti-Chinese riots Hells Canyon massacre (1887) Scott Act (1888) Geary Act (1892–1943) Union Colliery Co of British Columbia v Bryden (1899) 20th century White Australia policy (1901–1973) 1907 Vancouver anti-Asian riots Beipu uprising (1907) Torreón massacre (1911) 1918 Kudus riot Soviet deportations of Chinese people (1920s–1930s) Chinese Immigration Act, 1923 Wanpaoshan Incident (1931) Second Sino-Japanese War (1931–1945) Pingdingshan massacre (1932) Nanjing Massacre (1937–1938) Nanshitou massacre (1942–1945) Japanese war crimes Three Alls policy Panjiayu Massacre Changjiao massacre (1943) Sook Ching (1942) Home Office 213/926 (1945–1946) Bersiap (1945–1947) Mergosono massacre (1947) Legislation on Chinese Indonesians (1950s-) Chinese Confession Program (1956–1965) Internment of Chinese Indians (1962) 1964 race riots in Singapore Indonesian mass killings of 1965–66 1967 anti-Chinese riots in Burma Monosodium glutamate controversy (Chinese restaurant syndrome) 13 May incident (1969) 1969 race riots of Singapore Malari incident (1974) Cambodian genocide (1975–1979) 1997 Banjarmasin riot May 1998 riots of Indonesia 21st century 2006 Nukuʻalofa riots Abacus Bank prosecution 2008 Kunming bus bombings July 2009 Ürümqi riots 2011 Kashgar attacks Wolf Amendment 2013 Tiananmen Square attack 2014 Vietnam anti-China protests 2014 Kunming attack April 2014 Ürümqi attack May 2014 Ürümqi attack 2015 Plaza Low Yat riot 2015 Aksu colliery attack China Initiative COVID-19 pandemic incidents 2021 Atlanta spa shootings 2021 Solomon Islands unrest 2024 Papua New Guinean unrest Boycotts of Chinese products
By victim	19th century Fong Yue Ting Mary Tape Wong Kim Ark Yick Wo 20th century Vincent Chin Ita Martadinata Haryono Qian Xuesen Velma Demerson Wen Ho Lee 21st century Anming Hu Danny Chen Ee Lee Eileen Gu Feng "Franklin" Tao Gang Chen Haoyang Yu Jiansheng Chen Jiayang Fan Lee Chi-cheung Mi Gao Huang Chen Sherry Chen Teoh Beng Hock Xiaoxing Xi Yao Pan Ma Michelle Go
Slurs	Chankoro Chinaman Chinaman's chance Chinese, Japanese, dirty knees Ching chong Chink Locust/Wongchung Shina/Zhina Sick man of Asia Zhing-zhong
Related	Anti-People's Republic of China Chinese imperialism Anti-Taiwanese sentiment Hong Kong nationalism

Portals:

• Biography
• California
• Sports
• Olympic Games