Olympic champion Eileen Gu delivered a poignant tribute to her grandmother after clinching half-pipe gold on Sunday, revealing she learned of her passing shortly after the competition concluded.
A Bittersweet Victory in Cortina
The 22-year-old freeskier, who represents China but was raised in San Francisco, arrived late to her post-event press conference with emotional news. Gu disclosed that her maternal grandmother, Feng Guozhen, who had been ill, had passed away.
"The reason I was late is that I just found out that my grandma passed away," Gu stated. "She was a really big part of my life growing up and someone I looked up to immensely."
A Grandmother's Lasting Influence
Gu described her grandmother as a formidable presence who shaped her approach to life and sport. "She was so strong, she was a fighter," Gu reflected. "A lot of people just cruise through life but she was a steamship. This woman commanded life and she grabbed it by the reins and she made it into what she wanted it to be."
The athlete revealed she had made a promise to her grandmother before departing for the Olympics. "I didn't promise her that I was going to win but I did promise her that I was going to be brave like she has been brave," Gu explained. "That's why I keep referring to this theme of betting on myself and being brave and taking risks."
Historic Olympic Achievement
Gu's victory in Livigno Snow Park marked her third medal of the Milano-Cortina Games, adding to two silver medals in slopestyle and Big Air. With this performance, she solidified her status as the most decorated freeskier in history, surpassing all male and female competitors in total medals and gold medals.
"I walk away as the most decorated free skier of all time, male or female, and the most gold medals of any free skier ever," Gu noted with pride. "That is something that I'm so, so proud of. It's unbelievable to me. It's still surreal."
The Challenge of Three Events
Gu's achievement required extraordinary dedication, as she competed in three separate disciplines throughout the Games. "I chose to do three events knowing that I had to train half-pipe in two months," she detailed. "Being able to really trust myself that when it came down to the moment, that I would be able to perform to the best of my ability regardless of medal colour or medal in general - that's a big bet."
She likened the experience to "a marathon, but the pace of a 100m dash", emphasizing that every competition day demanded maximum effort without respite.
Technical Dominance on the Slopes
In Sunday's half-pipe final, Gu demonstrated why this discipline remains her strongest. She posted an unbeatable score of 94.75 in her final run, securing gold ahead of compatriot Li Fanghui in second place and Great Britain's Zoe Atkin in third.
This victory adds to her remarkable Olympic record, which includes two golds and a silver from the Beijing Games four years prior. Despite the personal loss, Gu expressed satisfaction with her performance. "I'm really happy that I was able to uphold that promise and hopefully do her proud," she said of her grandmother, "but it's also a really difficult time for me now."
The emotional complexity of achieving sporting excellence while processing personal grief underscores the human dimension behind Olympic glory, as Gu continues to honor her grandmother's legacy through her courageous performances on the world stage.
