Eileen Gu’s Most Viral Press Moments From the Milan Cortina Games

The athlete, who is the most-decorated free skier in Olympic history, had several standout moments on the slopes and in the media room.

Eileen Gu / David Ramos/Getty Images

The 2026 Milan Cortina Games have officially wrapped, but we’re still thinking about all of the incredible moments that resulted in this year’s Winter Olympics. And while we thoroughly enjoyed watching women excel in hockey, ice skating, snowboarding and more, there’s one athlete who really had a moment in the spotlight during the competition: Freestyle skier Eileen Gu.

Following her participation in the Games, the 22-year-old athlete is now the most-decorated free skier in Olympic history. Gu, who competed on behalf of the People’s Republic of China, secured two golds and a silver during the 2022 Beijing Games, followed by several more medals in this year’s competition. During the Milan Cortina Games, Gu took home two more silvers for Big Air and Slopestyle events, as well as a gold for the Halfpipe.

Gu broke records this year, and she also broke the internet. The San Francisco native, who, in addition to being an elite-level athlete, is also a model and student at Stanford University, had several standout moments with the press throughout this year’s competition. Below, take a look at just a few of our favorite viral moments with Gu over the last several weeks.

The clapback heard around the world

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After a reporter asked the athlete if she viewed her two silver medals as “two golds lost,” Gu replied with a hearty laugh and a well-thought out response on the spot.

“I’m the most decorated female freeskier in history, I think that’s answer in and of itself,” she replied. “How do I say this? Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder because every medal is equally hard for me, but everybody else’s expectations rise, right? And so the ‘two medals lost’ situation to be quite frank with you I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing, I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before, and so I think that is more than good enough. But thank you.”

Gu has since created a TikTok—that, as of press time, stands at 1.9 million views and counting—referencing the moment after her gold medal Halfpipe win on Sunday, Feb. 22.

Thoughtfulness on how sports build confidence

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During a press conference following her gold medal win, Gu, who is a huge proponent of young girls getting involved in sports, opened up about how skiing has helped her to cultivate confidence.

“The power of sport is unparalleled because it is evidence over affirmation,” Gu stated. “ ... You don’t tell yourself, ‘Oh, I can handle the pressure,’ ‘Oh, I’m so great.’ You do it, time and again. Sports are really honest because you can’t lie to yourself. You know when you stayed late and other people weren’t there. You know when you showed up early and other people weren’t there. You know when you gave a hundred percent in training, day in, day out, for months ... It’s trusting myself, but it’s building that trust every day.”

‘Do you think before you speak?’

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When a reporter praised her ability to think quickly on the spot, Gu had—unsurprisingly—yet another witty response at the ready.

“I think, overall, I’m just a pensive person,” she stated in part of her response. “I’m a very introspective young woman ... I break down all of my thought processes. You can control what you think and, therefore, you can control who you are. So, with neuroplasticity on my side, I can literally become exactly who I want to be.”

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