How Eileen Gu handled home ‘expectations’ to make Olympic history - ‘She’s been the face of Beijing 2022’

Updated 18/02/2022 at 10:40 GMT

Eileen Gu said she felt “a lot of pressure” heading into her home Winter Olympics, but she has certainly delivered at Beijing 2022. The American-born Chinese star followed up big air gold and slopestyle silver with another gold in the halfpipe, meaning she is the first freestyle skier to win three medals at one Olympics. Aged just 18, she looks capable of dominating the sport for years to come.

‘The best halfpipe skiing in history!’ – Gu seals gold with ‘perfect’ run to make history

Eileen Gu has made history aged just 18, becoming the first freestyle skier to win three medals at one Olympic Games.

It started with big air gold as mammoth runs of 93.75 and 94.50 helped the American-born Chinese star beat France’s Tess Ledeux by 0.75 points.

Then it was slopestyle silver, with Gu’s 86.23 in her final run just 0.33 points behind Swiss gold medallist Mathilde Gremaud.

Beijing 2022

‘Drama! Drama! Drama!’ – Re-live Gu’s remarkable Olympic Games

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23/02/2022 at 15:00

And finally, gold again, with Gu dominating the halfpipe final – her Run 2 score of 95.25 safely 4.5 points better than silver medallist and defending champion Cassie Sharpe.

“I felt a lot of pressure. I knew I was expected to win but that being said, there are so many amazing women and so many girls who are competitive, who are pushing the sport and constantly doing their best,” she told BBC TV.

Gold medallist Ailing Eileen Gu of Team China celebrates during the Women's Freeski Halfpipe flower ceremony on Day 14

Image credit: Getty Images

“So nothing is a given, I did not come into this thinking I was 100 per cent going to win. Of course that was my goal but I did not take it for granted. I feel fantastic right now.

“It’s all in your head, especially in competition. I’ve done so much work in that regard and I feel like my biggest asset is my brain so being able to use that to my advantage has been incredibly beneficial throughout the entire Games.

“My mum and I, because I spend so much time with her, talking to her is almost like talking to myself. She knows me well enough to know what I need to hear in that moment. Today I was feeling pretty good but I didn’t have a great practice, so she was just reassuring me and that’s all I needed to hear.”

Gu celebrates with rivals after ‘setting benchmark’ to win gold

Gu’s opening halfpipe run would have been good enough for gold, and before her final run she was already confirmed as champion, tearing up when celebrating with her coaches at the top before going down for a victory lap.

“Gu continues to make history in freeski,” Ian Findlay said on Eurosport’s commentary. “The first to walk away with three medals at a single Olympic Games. Her second gold of these Games, she cannot quite believe it. Look at her emotions. We may get a victory lap here.”

‘I am not crying, yea!’ – Gu left emotional after winning run in halfpipe final

Gu’s three-medal haul comes after she did likewise at last year’s world championships and Winter X Games as well as the 2020 Winter Youth Olympics.

EILEEN GU’S REMARKABLE MEDAL HAUL

Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics – Halfpipe gold, big air gold, slopestyle silver

Aspen 2021 World Championships – Halfpipe gold, slopestyle gold, big air bronze

Aspen 2021 Winter X Games – Superpipe gold, slopestyle gold, big air bronze

Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics – Halfpipe gold, big air gold, slopestyle silver

She ultimately shouldered the pressure of being a home hope at these Games, where she has become the poster girl but also been forced to bat off questions about why she has chosen to represent China over the USA.

Findlay added: “She was under a lot of pressure, she’s had a lot of questions from the media and answered them pretty well. She’s 18, thrust in front of the world’s media. She’s delivered under so much pressure coming into these Games.

“She’s been the face of Beijing 2022. She’s walking away with three medals. Gold in the big air, silver in the slopestyle, and now gold in the halfpipe.

‘Got to get those gains in’ – Gu munches on snack after Run 2 of slopestyle qualification

“Only Kelly Sildaru and Gu took part in all three events.

“Gu sets the benchmark. She’s won every World Cup this season, she’s now the halfpipe gold medallist. I cannot wait to see where she takes this sport.

“Representing China, two golds and a silver is a remarkable achievement.”

Co-commentator James Webb was asked where she can take the sport, and he said: “She’s already head and shoulders above everyone else at the moment. As we saw in men’s skiing, the double cork and 1260s coming in, and if anyone’s capable in women’s skiing it’s Eileen Gu.”

Findlay added: “It’s similar to the dominance Chloe Kim has in women’s snowboard pipe.”