Eileen Gu is not “merely” an Olympic Medalist

As the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics have just ended, with Thomas Bach’s appreciation to all athletes and attending countries, we've feasted on dozens of spectacular performances and witnessed countless historical records. Under this fierce competition where each individual possesses world-class skills, one athlete stood out amongst all. In this year’s Olympics, not only did she win two gold medals and one silver medal in halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air, which are some sub competitions of freestyle skiing.. Despite Eileen Gu’s medal winning ski tricks, she dabbles around other fields and achieves visible success.

In the field of skiing alone, she has won 8 gold, 2 silver, and 2 bronze medals in world-level competitions. One could argue that other preeminent skiers may even have more medals than she does equals more skill. However, for an 18-year-old university student, this is an extraordinary feat. More specifically, the university she is attending is a worldly renowned institute, Stanford. Beyond her academic and athletic success, she is also a renowned model featured by fashion brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Fendi. Considering all of those qualities, it is no surprise that she is on the Forbes “30 under 30”.

More than just her visible sparks, it is also important to acknowledge her cultural relevance and her position between China and the U.S.. When she announced that she switched to Chinese citizenship to participate in the Olympics as a Chinese athlete, news media like Fox news referred to Gu as an “ungrateful child of America.” However, she represents both cultures and stands as a representation of other Asian Americans who struggle with their identity. In an interview, she said, “When I'm in the U.S, I'm American, but when I'm in China, I'm Chinese.” For her elegant figure when soaring through the snow, and her unique personality, she became a notable figure in China, and around the world as well.

In conclusion, a freestyle skiing medalist is impressive to most; however, Elieen Gu proves there’s no limit to one’s ability and proficiency in different fields when you set your mind to it. Despite being a well-rounded individual, she also acts as an activist who is fused both Chinese and American culture together in spite of political tension and conflicts.

Works Cited:

1. "Eileen Gu - Wikipedia". En.Wikipedia.Org, 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eileen_Gu. Accessed 25 Feb 2022.

2. "Why Chinese Americans Are Talking About Eileen Gu". Nytimes.Com, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/18/nyregion/eileen-gu-chinese-american.html. Accessed 25 Feb 2022.

3. "Golden Girl: Everything You Should Know About Olympic Skier And Model Eileen Gu". Lifestyle Asia Hong Kong, 2022, https://www.lifestyleasia.com/hk/living/people/eileen-gu-beijing-olympics-2022-skier-model/. Accessed 25 Feb 2022.