Mei Pearl Holmes-Selby | Sports Editor
February 27, 2026
Who is Eileen Gu?
Eileen Feng Gu, born September 3, 2003, is a Chinese-American freestyle skier and model. With her representation for China in half-pipe, freestyle, and big air events since the 2018 season, and since her performance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, she has become the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history.
At the 2022 Olympic Winter Olympic, she became the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Games (2 Gold and 1 Silver). Then at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, she won 1 Gold medal in the half-pipe and 2 silver medals in the big air and freestyle.
Not only does she have a talent for skiing, Eileen Gu is currently enrolled and majoring in Quantum Physics and international relations at Stanford University. She balances both a professional athletic career while continuing her studies by taking online courses and flying in and out to take exams and tests to stay on track.
It seems like Eileen Gu has been balancing many things throughout her life as she grew up with her American father and Chinese mother, where she balanced cultural heritage, and when she officially started competing in competitions at just nine years old, she had to learn to balance athletics and academics.
Another impressive feat that Eileen Gu performs is her ability to use neuroplasticity, journaling, and analytical thinking to change and “tinker” with her mindset for peak performance. She uses these methods to treat her mind like physical training, breaking down the thought process consciously to rewire her brain to manage emotions and pressure. As a young, intelligent, and professional adult, she is put under pressure very often, whether on snow or sitting in a classroom. Nevertheless, Gu uses these methods to physically control her mind and regulate her thoughts as a student athlete that is gaining more popularity in the professional world of athletics.
Sophomore ,Ella Rumerman, is “impressed and has put in a ton of work to where she is” which “should be inspiring to many,” including herself. While another sophomore, Clara Hyatt, thinks Eileen “showed how powerful women can be in sports and how when someone sets their mind on something, they can truly accomplish anything.”
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