At just 22 years old, Eileen Gu (competing as Gu Ailing for China) has rewritten the freestyle skiing record books, claiming her sixth career Olympic medal and solidifying her place as the most decorated freeskier—male or female—in Olympic history.
The American-born superstar capped a dominant run at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina with a stunning defense of her women’s freeski halfpipe title on February 22. Scoring a massive 94.75 on her final run, Gu topped the podium in Livigno, Italy, ahead of teammate Li Fanghui (silver, 93.00) and Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin (bronze, 92.50). The victory delivered her first gold of these Games and her third overall Olympic gold, adding to the two she won in big air and halfpipe at Beijing 2022.
Gu’s Milano Cortina haul: gold in halfpipe, plus silvers in slopestyle and big air—three medals across three events, going six-for-six in Olympic finals lifetime. From Beijing’s triple-medal debut at age 18 (two golds, one silver) to this flawless streak, she’s proven unbeatable under pressure.
“I’m the most decorated freeskier of all time, male or female,” Gu declared post-race. “That’s a testament to competitive strength, mental strength… It has nothing to do with if you’re a boy or a girl.” Her words echo the resilience that’s defined her career, from navigating controversy over her allegiance switch to China to pioneering new tricks and raising the sport’s ceiling.
Officials and rivals alike hail her as “Wonder Woman”—a pioneer who’s elevated freeskiing’s level worldwide. With three Olympic golds and three silvers total, Gu now stands alone atop the all-time freeski medal chart, surpassing previous marks and setting the bar sky-high for future generations.
As the Milano Cortina Games wrap with the closing ceremony, Eileen Gu leaves not just with hardware, but as the undisputed 🐐 of freestyle skiing—proving greatness knows no limits. 🔥
