Eileen Gu, the most decorated Olympic freeskier, defends halfpipe gold
On 22 February 2026, Eileen Gu defended her freeski halfpipe title at Milano Cortina 2026, taking her sixth career Olympic medal; she was already the most decorated Olympic freeskier in history.
SportsGNGV Editorial Team4 min read
On the final day of Milano Cortina 2026, 22 February, Eileen Gu produced a moment of brilliance to close out a remarkable Games. Defending her freeski halfpipe crown, the 22-year-old landed a winning score of 94.75 on her third run to take gold, with compatriot Li Fanghui taking silver and Zoe Atkin bronze.
The victory carried historic weight. The halfpipe gold was Gu sixth career Olympic medal; she was already the most decorated Olympic freeskier of all time. Competing for China, she had already collected silvers in slopestyle and Big Air earlier in the Games, adding to the two golds and a silver she won at Beijing 2022. No other freestyle skier, male or female, has medalled in every Olympic event entered across multiple Games while competing in six events.
Gu approach to her sport has long been defined by generosity as much as ambition. Rather than framing results purely as wins and losses, she has spoken about lifting the whole field, a rising tide raises all boats, and has championed the growth of women freeskiing. Reaching a podium five times over two Games, she has noted, is exponentially harder because expectations only rise.
For young athletes watching, Gu offers a model of excellence pursued with joy and perspective. Her halfpipe gold was not just another medal but the punctuation mark on a career that has expanded what is possible in freestyle skiing, and a reminder that sustained greatness comes from loving the process, not only chasing the result.
