Eileen Gu Makes Olympic History with Six Medals at Milano Cortina 2026
Eileen Gu has created history at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics. The freestyle skiing superstar secured two silver medals and one gold medal in Italy, cementing her status as the most decorated freeskier in Olympic history with an impressive total of six medals. This remarkable achievement underscores her ability to deliver under pressure when it matters most.
Balancing Act: Studies, Fashion, and Injury Recovery
The 22-year-old athlete represented the People's Republic of China and competed in three demanding events. Her Olympic journey was far from smooth, as she balanced full-time studies at Stanford University, numerous fashion commitments, and a challenging injury recovery process. Despite these obstacles, Gu arrived at the Italian Alps fully prepared to give everything on the snow. Her courage and unwavering consistency defined her extraordinary campaign.
Overcoming Setbacks and Fierce Competition
Eileen Gu's Olympics began with a significant setback when she crashed on her first slopestyle run. However, she quickly regrouped and produced a personal best in the final, securing a silver medal. She finished just 0.38 points behind Switzerland's Mathilde Gremaud, demonstrating her resilience and competitive spirit.
In the Big Air event, harsh weather conditions including a blizzard tested every athlete. Gu had not competed in Big Air since winning gold at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, yet she managed to earn another silver medal. Remarkably, she learned her highest-scoring trick only a day before the event during training sessions.
Her toughest challenge came in the halfpipe final, where many competitors were fresh while Gu had no rest days after competing in three consecutive finals. She even fell during qualification, but when it mattered most, she delivered a brilliant run scoring 94.75 points to defend her title and win gold.
Emotional Reflections and Inspirational Message
After her victory, Gu reflected emotionally on her journey. Speaking to the Olympics official website, she explained that describing the feeling was difficult. She recalled growing up as the only girl on her ski team until age 15, making her status as the most decorated and most gold medal-winning freeski athlete, male or female, feel unreal to her.
Gu shared how challenging it was to medal six times in a row, noting that doing it once is difficult enough, but repeating it across weeks with changing schedules, adrenaline swings, and no rest days made it even tougher. Being the only athlete competing in three finals required immense commitment and dedication.
The champion believes that medals measure progress but are not the final goal. For her, true success means becoming the best skier possible and inspiring more girls to join the sport. She emphasized that more fans mean more opportunities and stronger platforms for everyone involved in freestyle skiing.
Risk and Reward: A Journey of Self-Belief
Looking back on her Olympic cycle, Gu admitted she took a significant risk by trying to balance everything. This approach could have ended badly, but she trusted herself completely. Even if things had failed, she stated she would not regret trying. In the end, her belief transformed into tangible proof on the Olympic stage, creating a legacy that will inspire future generations of athletes.
