Eileen Gu’s presence in Milan extends as she competes for a chance to win a third Olympic medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics taking place in Milano-Cortina. Already a two-time Olympic medalist, Gu aims to defend her title in her signature event, the women’s freeski halfpipe, further solidifying her spot as the most decorated female skier in Olympic history.
The 2022 gold medalist in the halfpipe faced some challenges during the qualifiers, including a fall on her first run when she clipped the lip of the halfpipe on her third trick. However, Gu bounced back with a strong second attempt, scoring 86.50 and securing her position in the finals. Her performance held up against fierce competition, placing her fifth in the qualifiers behind Zoe Atkin from Great Britain, Fanghui Li from China, Cassie Sharpe from Canada, and Indra Brown from Australia.
The halfpipe event is similar in scoring to snowboarding, where athletes perform a series of tricks on a ramp, earning points for the difficulty of their maneuvers and the quality of their landings. By advancing to the finals, Gu is now in a position to achieve her sixth Olympic medal and possibly a third gold, having also earned silver medals in this year’s big air and slopestyle events.
Zoe Atkin, a fellow competitor and Stanford student, also made it to the finals, qualifying with a top score of 91.50. As she heads into the finals as the top qualifier, she poses a significant challenge to Gu’s aim of retaining her title.
The highly anticipated final runs for both athletes are scheduled for Saturday, February 21, with the first round kicking off at 7:30 p.m. local time in Milan. This event promises to be an exciting showdown, showcasing the talents of two top skiers as they vie for Olympic glory. Fans can look forward to a thrilling competition as Gu seeks to continue her remarkable Olympic journey.