Eileen Gu defended her Olympic halfpipe gold with a score of 94.75
Gu won her sixth medal in six Winter Games events, becoming the most decorated Olympic freeskier
The event was rescheduled due to snow but held under sunny conditions at Livigno Snow Park
Gu's teammate Li Fanghui won silver and Britain's Zoe Atkin took bronze
Atkin impressed by reaching 5.4 meters above the pipe during the competition
π Full Retelling
American-born skier Eileen Gu, competing for her mother's homeland of China, successfully defended her Olympic ski halfpipe title at the Milano Cortina Games on February 22, 2026, after the event was rescheduled from the previous day due to a major snowstorm, further cementing her status as the most decorated freeskier in Olympic history with her sixth medal in six career Winter Games events. The 22-year-old Gu secured victory with a technically flawless second run that earned her a score of 94.75, improving even further on her final attempt where she pumped her ski poles in celebration after landing her final trick. Her performance earned high praise from competitors, with New Zealand's Mischa Thomas calling her 'unreal' and 'Wonder Woman.' Gu's teammate Li Fanghui claimed the silver medal while Britain's Zoe Atkin, an American-born skier competing for her father's homeland, took bronze. The competition took place under bright sunny conditions at the Livigno Snow Park, with Gu shielding her eyes from the sun as she checked her winning score. Atkin, the 23-year-old defending world champion, had soared to impressive heights during the contest, reaching 5.4 meters (18 feet) above the pipe at one point. The British athlete finished ninth at the Beijing Games but has been a consistent World Cup podium presence since, with three victories in the last four years in events where Gu didn't compete. Meanwhile, New Zealand's Thomas provided some lighthearted moments when she dropped her phone during her second run, later reporting it 'never been better' after it was retrieved. American Svea Irving, who was a 'did not start' in her second run, returned for a third attempt but struggled to complete a maneuver and finished 11th. Canadian Cassie Sharpe, the 2018 PyeongChang gold medalist and Beijing silver medalist, sat out the final following a hard crash in Thursday's qualifying round.
π·οΈ Themes
Olympic Excellence, International Competition, Winter Sports
Freestyle skiing is a skiing discipline comprising aerials, moguls, cross, half-pipe, slopestyle and big air as part of the Winter Olympics. It can consist of a skier performing aerial flips and spins and can include skiers sliding rails and boxes on their skis. Known as "hot-dogging" in the early ...
Eileen Feng Gu (born September 3, 2003), also known by her Chinese name Gu Ailing (θ°·η±ε), is a freestyle skier. Born in the United States, she has competed for China in halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air events since 2019.
At age 18, Gu became the youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing after wi...
Eileen Gu's successful title defense cements her legacy as the most decorated freeskier in Olympic history, highlighting her dominance in the sport. Her achievement also underscores the growing prominence of athletes with multinational backgrounds competing at the highest level of international sport. The victory reinforces China's strong performance in winter sports following the Beijing 2022 Games.
Context & Background
Eileen Gu is American-born but competes for China, her mother's homeland
She won two gold medals and one silver at the Beijing 2022 Games
This victory makes her six-for-six in winning medals at Olympic events
The event was rescheduled to Sunday due to a snowstorm
Teammate Li Fanghui won silver and Zoe Atkin of Britain won bronze
What Happens Next
Eileen Gu's historic career will likely continue to influence the growth of freeskiing and inspire a new generation of athletes. Her dominance may lead to increased attention and investment in winter sports, particularly in China. The sport will look toward future World Cup events and the next Olympic cycle to see if new challengers can emerge.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Olympic medals does Eileen Gu now have?
Eileen Gu now has six Olympic medals: three gold and three silver medals.
Why does Eileen Gu compete for China instead of the United States?
She competes for China, representing her mother's homeland.
Who won the silver and bronze medals in the women's ski halfpipe?
Li Fanghui of China won silver and Zoe Atkin of Great Britain won bronze.
Original Source
World U.S.-born skier Eileen Gu defends Olympic ski halfpipe gold at Milano Cortina Games February 22, 2026 / 7:20 AM EST / AP Add CBS News on Google Eileen Gu defended her Olympic ski halfpipe title on Sunday to make it six medals in six events over her Winter Games career . The 22-year-old Gu, American-born but competing for her mother's homeland of China, is already the most decorated freeskier in the short history of the sport at the Olympics. She also captured two silver medals at the Milan Cortina Games, to pair with two golds and a silver from the Beijing Games. Gu won the event on the strength of her second run, a clean, technically sound pass. She got even better in her final run β pumping his ski poles after landing the final trick β and finished with a score of 94.75. Her teammate, Li Fanghui, took silver and Zoe Atkin of Britain was third. "She is unreal. It's pretty crazy how good she is," New Zealand's Mischa Thomas said of Gu. "She is 'Wonder Woman.'" The event was rescheduled to Sunday following a big snowstorm the night before. It was a bright, sunny day as Gu shone in the final event at the Livigno Snow Park. She shielded her eyes from the sun to catch a peek of her winning score β and instantly liked what she saw. There were quite a few Gu fans at the base of the halfpipe, holding up pictures of her and waving flags. Atkin, an American-born skier who competes for her father's homeland of Britain, soared high all contest, a staggering 5.4 meters (18 feet) above the pipe at one point. She finished ninth at the Beijing Games but has been a steady presence on World Cup podiums ever since. She has three victories over the last four years, all in events where Gu didn't compete. The 23-year-old Atkin is the defending world champion. In her second run, Thomas dropped into the halfpipe β and dropped her phone. It had to be retrieved for Thomas. After the competition, she reported: "My phone is great. Never been better." Svea Irving was a "DNS" β did not st...
