Freestyle skier Eileen Gu wears many hats – most recently, Olympic champ – but the one that may be most important to her is role model. Gu, who was born and raised in California, has been outspoken about her mission to inspire young Chinese skiers since making the decision to compete for China back in 2019. “I am proud of my heritage, and equally proud of my American upbringings,” Gu wrote on Instagram. “The opportunity to help inspire millions of young people where my mom was born, during the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help to promote the sport I love . . . If I can help to inspire one young girl to break a boundary, my wishes will have come true.” To say she’s achieved that at the Beijing Games would be an understatement.
Gu is widely hailed as the best in her sport. However, there’s a lot more to this athlete than shiny hardware and spectacular stunts. Not only is Gu a pianist (she asked for a keyboard in her room in Beijing), but she’s also a full-time model and ambassador for some of the world’s most luxurious brands. Keep reading to learn more about the Olympic gold medalist, who’s just getting started.
