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Olympic freestyle skiing star Eileen Gu has gone viral following her response to a journalist who asked whether her latest results should be viewed as "two silvers gained or two golds lost"
The question came after Gu secured two silver medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, adding to her already historic Olympic medal tally.
Laughing into the microphone before answering, the 22-year-old addressed the framing directly.
"I'm the most decorated female freeskier in history. I think that's an answer in and of itself," she said.
Gu went on to reflect on the pressure that comes with repeated Olympic success
"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?"
She also rejected the idea that silver medals should be viewed as missed golds.
"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."
Clips of the exchange quickly circulated online, with many social media users praising her confidence and pointing out the difficulty of medalling at the Olympic level.
Watch a video of the exchange here:
Gu competes in freestyle skiing events including slopestyle, big air, and halfpipe
Born in the US to a Chinese mother, she represented the US early in her career before announcing in 2019 that she would compete for China internationally.
Her decision drew significant attention and sparked debate, particularly in the US. Some critics questioned her choice to switch sporting nationality, while supporters pointed out her dual cultural background and her stated goal of inspiring more young people in China to take up winter sports.
At the time, Gu said she hoped to help grow freestyle skiing in China and encourage greater participation ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
Gu has largely maintained that she identifies with both cultures and sees her platform as an opportunity to build bridges rather than divisions
She first rose to global prominence at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, where she won two gold medals and one silver, becoming the first freestyle skier to earn three medals at a single Olympic Games.
With her two silver medals at Milano-Cortina 2026, Gu now holds five Olympic medals in total, making her the most decorated female freestyle skier in Olympic history.
Beyond the Olympics, she has also won multiple medals at World Championships and Winter X Games events, solidifying her position as one of the sport's leading athletes.
Off the slopes, Gu is also a student at Stanford University and has built a high-profile presence in the fashion industry through global brand partnerships.
