Winter Olympics: Eileen Gu’s gold-medal display melts hearts and crashes internet, as China gushes over its new champion

Teen’s storming big air win overshadows repeated questions over her nationality and surprise appearance by Peng Shuai

Figure skater Nathan Chen shatters world record previously held by Yuzuru Hanyu

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China’s Eileen Gu celebrates on the podium after winning the women’s freestyle big air competition. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:51pm, 8 Feb 2022Updated: 5:20pm, 18 Apr 2022

Eileen Gu melted hearts and crashed the internet after winning her first Winter Olympics gold on Tuesday, and even questions over her nationality and Peng Shuai’s surprise appearance in the crowd failed to overshadow the occasion.

The teenager stormed to victory in the freeski big air competition, nailing an improbable double cork 1620 on her final run to earn a 94.5 and take the lead from France’s Tess Ledeux.

Such was the influence of Gu’s performance on the day’s proceedings that it outshone what may have been the passing of an Olympic torch from one great athlete to another.

Nathan Chen performs during the men’s single skating short programme at Capital Indoor Stadium. Photo: Xinhua

Yuzuru Hanyu has dominated men’s figure skating for the better part of a decade, but injuries and relative old age at 27 have dimmed the powers of the Japanese athlete known as the “Ice Prince”.

Hanyu could only manage a 95.15 in the day’s short programme, after a popped quad on his first jump which he blamed on a divot in the ice. He then had to watch as American Nathan Chen posted a score of 113.97, shattering his Japanese rival’s world record of 111.82 in the process. With the free skate to come on Thursday, it will be a couple of days before the gold medal changes hands as well.

Gu’s triumph was China’s third gold of the Olympics, and briefly lifted the host nation to the top of the medal table. The Beijing municipal government congratulated “Beijing athlete Eileen Gu” for winning “a precious gold medal for Chinese sports”.

The teen cried at the bottom of the slope as she waited for her score, and then bowed to the crowd, folding her skis across her body while expressing gratitude to the adoring Chinese audience.

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