Ski phenomenon Eileen Gu arrives in Italy as the richest and favorite athlete in three disciplines

Chinese skier Eileen Gu arrives at Itália for the Jogos Olímpicos of Inverno of Aos 22 years old, not only is she looking to defend her Olympic titles, but she also does so boasting the status of the highest paid athlete in the competition, with income that places her among the biggest financial powers in global women’s sport.

Her participation is one of the most anticipated, with the athlete enrolled in three highly technical freestyle skiing disciplines: slopestyle, big air and halfpipe. The expectation is that she will repeat the historic feat of Pequim 2022, when she won medals in all the events she competed in, solidifying her name as a snow sports legend at just 18 years old.

The Gu schedule begins this Saturday, February 7, in the city of Livigno, which hosts part of the ski competitions. The athlete begins her journey with the slopestyle qualifiers, a modality in which she won silver in the last edition of the Jogos, kickstarting a campaign that could further expand her Olympic legacy and global influence.

Financial dominance and luxury sponsorships

Eileen Gu’s success transcends the mountains and is reflected in a robust financial empire. With an estimated annual turnover of R$120.87 million, she is the fourth highest paid athlete on the planet, being the only representative of winter sports in this select group, dominated by tennis stars such as Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek. Esse amount exceeds the earnings of any other athlete, both men and women, present in the edition of Milão-Cortina dos Jogos de Inverno, highlighting its unique commercial strength.

This fortune is built on a foundation of strategic partnerships with prestigious global brands. Seu portfolio of sponsors includes luxury industry giants such as jewelry company Tiffany & Co. and the brand Louis Vuitton, in addition to the Swiss watchmaker IWC Schaffhausen. In the sports and technological field, it is supported by companies such as Red Bull, Anta Sports and TCL, which demonstrates its ability to move between different markets and consolidate an image that combines elite performance, fashion and innovation.

The journey towards Milão-Cortina

The preparation to defend their Olympic titles was meticulous and intense. Gu spent long periods training at Scharnitz, at Áustria, a location known for its state-of-the-art winter sports facilities. The focus was to improve the execution of highly complex maneuvers and ensure the consistency necessary to compete on three different fronts.

Despite the enormous pressure of being the absolute favorite, the athlete has declared in interviews that she approaches the games at Itália with a new perspective. Segundo her, the success in Pequim brought her a feeling of freedom, allowing her to compete with less weight on her shoulders, focused on enjoying the moment and continuing to evolve technically.

This Olympic cycle also saw the emergence of new talented competitors on the international stage, raising the technical level of competitions. The Chinese athlete is aware of the challenge and has worked specifically to introduce new elements into her routines, seeking to surprise the judges and the public with her creativity and daring on the track.

Pioneering and technical innovations in skiing

Eileen Gu’s impact on freestyle skiing goes beyond her medals, being marked by technical pioneering that redefined the limits of the women’s sport. Ela was the first woman in history to successfully execute and land a “double cork 1440”, an aerial maneuver that combines four full rotations (1440 degrees) with two off-axis spins. Essa feat, accomplished in the big air final in Pequim 2022, not only earned him the gold medal, but also set a new standard of difficulty and progression for the sport. The ability to perform movements of such complexity under the pressure of an Olympic final demonstrates body control and courage that distinguishes her from her competitors. Seu technical repertoire continues to be a reference, and the expectation is that she will present new variations and even more difficult maneuvers during the competitions in Milão-Cortina, forcing her opponents to take more risks to try to overcome her.

Record trajectory and the decision for China

Eileen Gu’s relationship with skiing began very early. Aos three years, she was already on the track and, at nine, she won her first major junior championship in the Estados Unidos, organized by the Associação of Snowboard and Freeski.

His precocious talent indicated a promising career, but it was a strategic decision in 2019 that drastically altered his trajectory. By choosing to represent China, his mother’s home country, Gu opened the doors to the gigantic Asian market, multiplying its reach and commercial opportunities.

The consecration came in the Jogos of Pequim 2022. Competindo “at home”, she became the youngest Olympic champion in the history of freestyle skiing, winning two gold medals (big air and halfpipe) and one silver (slopestyle).

This performance made her an instant icon at China and a global star, setting a record by being the first freestyle ski athlete to reach the podium three times in a single edition of the Jogos Olímpicos.

Competition schedule

The athlete’s schedule in Milão-Cortina will be intense, with commitments spread over two weeks. The search for new medals begins with slopestyle, the final of which is scheduled for Monday, February 9, at 1:28 pm local time.

Then, attention turns to big air, with the qualifiers on the 14th and the grand final on the night of February 16th, at 7:30 pm. Finally, she ends her participation in the halfpipe, with the qualifying phase on February 19th and the fight for gold on the 21st, also at 7:30 pm.

Academic life in Stanford

Parallel to his sporting career, Eileen Gu maintains a routine of studies at one of the most prestigious universities in the world, Universidade of Stanford, in the Estados Unidos. Lá, she is studying quantum physics and international relations, demonstrating a versatility that is rare among high-performance athletes. Sua academic dedication is seen as a fundamental part of building his image as a multifaceted and inspiring figure for young people.