Eileen Gu Repeats the Drama however Not the Ending

ZHANGJIAKOU, China — Eileen Gu has a approach of attracting consideration, and a rising behavior of making dramatic impact.

Gu, the 18-year-old freestyle skier from California who’s competing for China, arrived on the slopestyle course on Tuesday, searching for a second gold medal at these Winter Video games.

Followers braved subzero temperatures to root her on, waving small flags and oohing with each one in every of her tips. Cameras and heads had been aimed in her route consistently. Commotion adopted her across the slope.

Simply as she did per week earlier when she gained huge air in stirring, come-from-behind trend, Gu had an opportunity to win it ultimately. Simply as she did then, she dealt with the strain and landed an enormous rating.

This time, although, Gu fell simply wanting the gold medal. She couldn’t fairly match the highest rating of Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland, leaving Gu with a silver medal that didn’t appear to dent her enthusiasm or the spirits of these she has charmed.

“It actually got here all the way down to the final run — once more,” Gu stated, chewing on a steamed bun. “I don’t know why I preserve doing that to myself.”

She joked that it was particularly anxious for her mom, Yan Gu, who was raised in Beijing and migrated to america about 30 years in the past. Eileen Gu was born and raised in California and introduced in 2019 that she would compete for China somewhat than america.

“I’m completely satisfied I used to be capable of push by means of and switch that strain into gas, and it feels so, so good,” Gu stated. “My aim coming into the Olympics was to have one gold and have yet one more podium in a special occasion. I’ve already met that aim, and going into my strongest occasion.”

She rushed by means of interviews as a result of she was late to apply for that occasion, the halfpipe. {Qualifications} are scheduled for Thursday, and Gu is a favourite to win.

Gremaud’s victory over Gu and a deep subject on the slopestyle course felt like a shock, even to her, however it shouldn’t have. She gained the Olympic silver medal in 2018, however had been overshadowed this previous season by Gu and Gu’s greatest rival, Kelly Sildaru of Estonia. Sildaru earned the bronze on Tuesday.

Gremaud scored 86.56 on her second of three runs, in a contest the place solely the perfect rating issues. She then watched Gu, Sildaru and others get two probabilities to beat it. Nobody did.

“I undoubtedly didn’t count on that,” Gremaud stated. “However it’s a fantastic feeling now.”

Eleven freeskiing finalists took turns making an attempt to navigate the slopestyle course, which has proved itself a formidable foe throughout these Winter Video games.

The sequence of rails and obstacles adopted by three units of massive jumps, all in-built snow in a way to evoke the Nice Wall, has each dazzled and befuddled among the greatest skiers and snowboarders.

Gu landed a middling run the primary time, then fell off the third rail on her second try. When she took her closing flip, she was in eighth. She stood on the high of the course, took a sequence of gradual, deep breaths, then plunged her hopes, and people of China, down the hill.

She hit trick after trick, together with a double cork 1080 off her center leap, reaching the end upright and with a smile. Followers rattled the plastic clappers they’d been handed — usually obeying pandemic-era directions to not open their masked-covered mouths to cheer — and watched her each transfer. Telephones and cameras had been pointed her approach.

In Gu’s rising shadow, Maggie Voisin of america had hoped to quietly attain the rostrum. Nonetheless solely 23, Voisin was making her third Olympic look. In 2014, at 15, she was on the Video games in Sochi, Russia, however broke a leg in coaching earlier than her competitors. On the 2018 Video games, she completed fourth. She arrived in China hungry for a medal, having been by means of a pair of debilitating knee accidents and the suicide of her brother.

Voisin wore his Military canine tag underneath her uniform and a smile on her face after ending fifth.

“I’m nonetheless actually, actually pleased with myself and what I used to be capable of accomplish right here — a fifth place amongst all these unbelievable ladies is a extremely nice end result,” Voisin stated. “I knew that it was going to be robust to crack the highest three, that’s for positive.”

She was fast to go with Gu, who spent a few years with the U.S. nationwide workforce earlier than saying, in 2019, that she would compete for China, partly to assist construct the nation’s winter-sports market.

“That woman deserves all of it,” Voisin stated. “I’ve by no means met anybody that works as exhausting as she does. She’s so devoted, so decided. I’m actually, actually completely satisfied for her.”

Gu is an rising world star and has been ubiquitous on Chinese language tv throughout these Olympics. Identified in China as Gu Ailing, her face appears to be in all places. Previously yr, she additionally has turn out to be a mannequin for Tiffany & Firm, Louis Vuitton and different high-end retailers.

Previously month or so, and principally previously week since she gained huge air, the variety of Gu’s Instagram followers — principally within the West, hardly ever seen in China — has grown sixfold, to 1.1 million. She has way more followers on Weibo, a Chinese language website akin to Twitter, the place she posts extra usually. On Tuesday morning, her account was approaching 5 million followers, almost 5 instances as many as she had firstly of the yr.

Her determination to compete for China has raised questions each there and in america. China doesn’t permit twin citizenship, and Gu has dodged questions on whether or not she has surrendered her U.S. passport.

After successful a silver medal on Tuesday, Gu was requested if she felt she needed to compromise to do enterprise in China. As she did per week earlier than, she cheerfully swiped away the basis of the pointed query, persevering with to soar over politics and controversy.

She stated that she didn’t contemplate “snowboarding as a enterprise endeavor,” although she has roughly 20 endorsements in China alone.

“I really feel as if I take advantage of my voice as a lot as I can in matters which might be related and private to myself and focused towards people who find themselves keen to hearken to me,” she stated. “I’m additionally a teenage woman, so I do my greatest to make the world a greater place. And yeah, I’m having enjoyable whereas doing it.”

China is alongside for the experience. The love affair would solely deepen with yet one more medal — particularly one other gold one.