BEIJING (AP), — Eileen Gu gathered a large army of cynics after she refused to allow Team USA to represent China in the Beijing Games.
The 18-year old prodigy of freestyle skiing was asked questions about her status as a U.S citizen, her feelings towards Peng Shuai, and the hateful comments she has received via social media.
Gu stated, “If people don’t believe me, or if people don’t like me then it’s their loss.” They won’t win the Olympics.
Gu achieved exactly that. She earned the first of three possible gold medals she and her many supporters in Beijing hoped for. Gu also produced the first 1620 of the season in her final turn. This stunned Tess Ledeux, France, to win the Olympic debut in women’s freeski big-air.
Gu, an American born skier, had never attempted the double cork 1620. This is a maneuver in which skiers spin 4 1/2x while rotating twice off-axis 20 feet above the ground. In practice, no. In competition, not.
Only when she has the weight of her adopted country right there on her shoulders.
She said, via translator in Chinese: “I want all girls to break their boundaries.” “I want them all to believe that if Eileen can do something, so can I.”
According to Chinese technology and sports news sites, the popularity of Gu’s win temporarily crashed Weibo. On Tuesday morning, a crowd of people spontaneously gathered in front of Wangfujing’s big TV screen. This is a famous shopping district in central Beijing.
Gu, a US-born freeskier, wins Olympic big air silver for China
By JAKE SEINER
Today
Eileen Gu of China reacts to winning the women’s big air freestyle skiing finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics. This was Tuesday, February 8, 2022 in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
1 out of 10
Eileen Gu of China reacts to winning the women’s big air freestyle skiing finals at the 2022 Winter Olympics. This was Tuesday, February 8, 2022 in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
BEIJING (AP), — Eileen Gu gathered a large army of cynics after she refused to allow Team USA to represent China in the Beijing Games.
The 18-year old prodigy of freestyle skiing was asked questions about her status as a U.S citizen, her feelings towards Peng Shuai, and the hateful comments she has received via social media.
Gu stated, “If people don’t believe me, or if people don’t like me then it’s their loss.” They won’t win the Olympics.
Gu achieved exactly that. She earned the first of three possible gold medals she and her many supporters in Beijing hoped for. Gu also produced the first 1620 of the season in her final turn. This stunned Tess Ledeux, France, to win the Olympic debut in women’s freeski big-air.
Gu, an American born skier, had never attempted the double cork 1620. This is a maneuver in which skiers spin 4 1/2x while rotating twice off-axis 20 feet above the ground. In practice, no. In competition, not.
Only when she has the weight of her adopted country right there on her shoulders.
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She said, via translator in Chinese: “I want all girls to break their boundaries.” “I want them all to believe that if Eileen can do something, so can I.”
According to Chinese technology and sports news sites, the popularity of Gu’s win temporarily crashed Weibo. On Tuesday morning, a crowd of people spontaneously gathered in front of Wangfujing’s big TV screen. This is a famous shopping district in central Beijing.
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It’s very encouraging. She is of Chinese descent and has since returned to China. Jiang Yu, a 36-year-old Beijing resident, said that she was proud of her.
The capacity was very limited at the Big Air Shougang, a 5,000-seat steel mill that Beijing converted into an unusual park, culture hub, and sports center. It was still a compelling story.
The “Snow Princess”, was ready to take her crown.
Gu’s mother is Chinese and she estimates that she has spent around 25% of her life in China. Gu’s origin story begins at age 9, when she proposed the idea for China’s first slopestyle skiing event. She won.
She has repeatedly stated that she sided with China in 2019 and her goal is to encourage women and girls to try winter sports, aligning with China’s promise to help 300 million people get on the ice or snow.
This is a status that’s not dissimilar to the public mantel Peng held for many years.
Peng, an Olympic tennis player and three-time Olympic champion, was there with Thomas Bach, the IOC President, as Gu secured her gold. Peng made this rare public appearance after claiming in a controlled interview, that the allegations of sexual assault she made against a former high ranking member of China’s ruling Communist Party were “an enormous misinterpretation.”
The Chinese Olympic official asked her questions about her health and what happened.
Gu was asked if Peng shared her concern over Peng’s safety. She said she was happy Peng attended the event and that Peng was honored to be there.
Gu stated, “I’m really thankful that she’s, yeah. happy and healthy, and out here doing her stuff again,” Gu before a room of Chinese volunteers and media. They hushed when Peng was mentioned.
Gu also posed questions about her status in America. China doesn’t allow dual citizenship. However, it is not clear if Gu, who was bound to Stanford, ever gave up her U.S. passport.
Gu’s second passion, modeling, seems to have made the decision a profitable one. She is a regular model in advertisements throughout Beijing and has been photographed by Vogue, Victoria’s Secret and Tiffany.
When asked about her citizenship, she stated that sport was a way to unite people. It doesn’t need to be tied to nationality. It is not something that can be used as a way to divide people. “We’re all here to push the human limit together.”
Gu was no doubt pushing those limits Tuesday.
Ledeux, who became the first woman in 1620 competition just a month ago, won gold at the Winter X Games. Ledeux, a 20-year-old Frenchwoman, pulled off another one in the first round Tuesday. This set the bar higher than any other.
Gu achieved a clean double-cork 1440 on her first run. She then recorded a safe but impressive double cork 1080 in Run 2. She was almost certain of getting at least bronze by the time she jumped her third jump.
Gu stated that she had briefly considered improving her 1440, but math showed that the only way to close Ledeux’s gap was to get the 1620.
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When her skis touched the ground, she shrieked, and floated backwards down the slope, her hands covering her face, first over her head, then covering it. When her score of 94.5 was announced, she sank to her knees. This gave her a total of 188.25. She was just a hair ahead of Ledeux’s 187.5. Swiss skier Mathilde Gremaud took bronze.
Ledeux attempted to improve her switch 1440 but failed her last attempt. Through an interpreter, she said that Gu was “extremely competitive” as well as an “amazing at-heart athlete.” However, she grumbled about the fact that Gu had been practicing at Big Air Shougang for several weeks prior to the Games. This is a perk of being in the host country.
Ledeux stated, “What I know is she got lucky and that’s just fair. She was able to train at the venues before anyone else and that probably made an impact today.”
Gu was not going to be denied his coming-out party by any other cynic.
Gu stated, “I’m trying not to make everyone happy.” Gu said, “I’m an 18 year old girl living her best life.” “I’m having a blast.
