Skier Eileen Gu begins her participation in the Jogos Olímpicos of Inverno of Aos 22 years old, the Chinese athlete, born in the Estados Unidos, arrives at Itália to defend her titles and expand a trajectory marked by records and unprecedented commercial visibility in snow sports. With an estimated turnover of R$120.87 million in 2025, she is the fourth highest paid athlete in the world, being the only representative outside the tennis circuit to appear at the top of the women’s financial ranking.
The athlete’s schedule officially begins this Saturday, February 7th, with the women’s slopestyle qualifications in Livigno, starting at 2:05 pm local Italian time. Gu is one of the rare competitors registered in three different freestyle skiing disciplines: slopestyle, big air and halfpipe. The official competition schedule highlights the following local dates and times for the decisive phases of women’s skiing:
- Slopestyle:Finais scheduled for Monday, February 9, at 1:28 pm.
- BigAir:Qualificatórias on February 14th and finals on February 16th, at 7:30 pm.
- Halfpipe:Fase qualifier on February 19th and the grand final on the 21st, at 7:30 pm.
Victorious trajectory and historical records
The competitor started skiing at just 3 years old and demonstrated precocious talent by winning the junior championship of Associação of Snowboard and Freeski of Estados Unidos at the age of 9. In 2019, he made the strategic decision to represent China, his mother’s country, which drastically boosted his global reach and commercial partnerships in the Asian market.
Her definitive consecration occurred in the Jogos of Pequim 2022, where she became the youngest Olympic champion in the history of freestyle skiing at 18 years old. Naquela edition, she set a milestone by winning three medals in a single Olimpíada: golds in big air and halfpipe, as well as a silver medal in slopestyle.
Financial domain and international brands
The wealth accumulated by Eileen Gu is the result of career management that combines high sporting performance with a strong presence in the fashion and luxury industry. In 2025, her earnings of 23 million dollars placed her just behind tennis players Coco Gauff, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek, surpassing any other athlete, male or female, present in the Jogos of
The skier’s list of sponsors includes global giants like Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and IWC Schaffhausen, as well as sports and technology brands such as Red Bull, Anta Sports and TCL. Recentemente, the athlete also launched an exclusive ski model inspired by the Chinese zodiac, reinforcing her link with Eastern culture and its influence on the design of high-level sports equipment.
Academic training and multifunctionality
In addition to the tracks, the athlete maintains a rigorous study routine at Universidade of Stanford, at Estados Unidos, where she dedicates herself to studying international relations and quantum physics. In 2024, Gu carried out an exchange at Universidade from Oxford, at
His fluency in English and Mandarin, combined with his skills as a pianist, contributes to his “complete star” image that attracts the interest of publications such as Vogue and Marie Claire. Ela is managed by IMG Models, which allows its image to move between extreme competitions in the snow and fashion shows in capitals such as Paris and
Technical pioneering in ski maneuvers
The Chinese woman’s success is not limited to her podium results, but also to the technical level presented in her descents, being the first woman to complete a double cork 1440.
Preparation for the 2026 Jogos involved intensive training at Scharnitz, at Áustria, where the athlete sought to improve her technical execution to face new competitors that emerged on the international scene. Mesmo with the pressure of being the absolute favorite, Gu stated in recent interviews that she approaches the event at Itália with a new sense of freedom, feeling that she has already proven her worth in the sport.
Cultural impact and global popularity
The phenomenon surrounding Eileen Gu has had a direct impact on the practice of winter sports in China, with a significant increase in the number of freestyle skiers after 2022. The young woman is seen as a cultural bridge between Ocidente and Oriente, managing to balance her upbringing in São Francisco with her family roots in Pequim in a harmonious way.
With more than two million followers on social media, she uses her platform to share behind-the-scenes of training and advertising campaigns, maintaining high engagement with young audiences. Sua participation in Milão-Cortina is expected as the culmination of a cycle where she went from being a revelation to becoming the most recognizable face of snow sports in the world.
Expectations for the competition at Itália
The expectation of the organizing committee and experts is that Eileen Gu maintains its high level of competitiveness, even with the increase in the technical level of its opponents in the last four years. The Slopestyle Park in Livigno was prepared to receive the highly difficult maneuvers that are the Chinese athlete’s trademark in major events.
The athlete now focuses on maintaining consistency in the three disciplines to try to repeat the feat of reaching the podium in all the events she competes in. Success in Milão-Cortina could further increase its market value and consolidate its name among the greatest icons in modern Olympic history.
