Eileen Gu wins China’s first Winter X Games gold as Beijing 2022 countdown begins
- Teen ski star wins China’s first Winter X Games gold in the Superpipe before becoming best rookie in 20 years with Slopestyle win
- US-born freestyle skier, also known as Gu Ailing, decided to compete for China in 2019 ahead of next year’s Olympics
The 17-year-old, who is also known by her Chinese name Gu Ailing, won two golds and a bronze at the event in Aspen, Colorado – a feat never achieved by a Winter X Games debutant in its 20-year history.
Gu, who is a huge medal hope for the hosts at the Winter Games that begin next February, will be one of the faces of the Olympics.
“This is something I wouldn’t even dare to dream of. I came into this contest with a goal of getting one podium, and I thought that was ambitious,” she said after gold in Saturday’s slopestyle.
“It’s really just the adrenaline of my first X Games and being so hyped to be here that got me through. I am probably going to go hibernate for 24 hours straight and not talk to anybody because I’m exhausted. But I couldn’t be happier.”
Freestyle skier Gu won bronze in Friday’s Big Air before taking gold in the Superpipe, where she beat Canada’s Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic gold medallist Cassie Sharpe.