Born and raised in the United States but representing China, Eileen Gu claimed silver in the women’s freeski slopestyle final at the 2026 Winter Olympics on February 9. But what followed next turned the moment into something even more memorable!

Gu opened with an impressive 86.58 on her first run, taking an early lead. Switzerland’s Mathilde Gremaud just topped her with 86.96, and Megan Oldham of Canada won bronze. Although Mathilde might have won the race, Gu received a special form of recognition at the prize-giving event.

Britain’s Princess Anne, who is a former Olympic equestrian and an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, handed out the medals. Instead of merely strolling down the line, Princess Anne went to shake hands with Gu herself, then placed the silver medal around her neck. That mere act made an otherwise large event a royal occasion of success.  But Eileen Gu’s success at the Games isn’t just about medals.

Princess Anne herself has her history with the Olympics, as she was the first member of the British royal family to participate in the Olympics back in 1976 in Equestrian. She was appointed as president of the British Olympic Association in 1983 and still holds the position. Apart from that, she joined the IOC  back in 1988 and has actively participated in many editions of the Summer and Winter Olympics since. Hence, her meeting with Eileen Gu, even for a brief moment, was much more remarkable.

Last year, Eileen Gu became one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. According to Forbes, she was ranked among the top five highest-paid female athletes in 2025. Her earnings were around $23.1 million annually, mostly from brand endorsements rather than competition winnings, and she currently has a net worth of about $50M.

Her endorsements include some of the largest international brands such as Red Bull, Porsche, IWC Schaffhausen, and TCL, as well as being a fashion model with IMG Models, and her campaigns and runway appearances have broadened her reach beyond sport. However, a question that often arises is: why does she compete for China instead of the U.S.?

Why did Eileen Gu choose to represent China?

Eileen Gu was born and brought up in San Francisco, California, to a Chinese mother, Yan Gu, and an American, Kai Gu. Since her childhood, she lived in both nations and was deeply connected to Chinese traditions, speaking Mandarin.

At the age of 15 in 2019, Gu petitioned the International Ski Federation to switch her sporting nationality, which allowed her to represent China in the 2022 Olympics. She described this as her desire to “inspire millions of young people where my mom was born.”

Eileen Gu also noted that the U.S already had strong representation in freestyle skiing, so she hoped to develop and popularize the sport in China, particularly for girls and younger athletes.

Her choice was a subject of significant discussion at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, in which she took the big stage and won two gold medals and a silver medal. Some Chinese netizens criticized the switch, describing her as “unpatriotic” and “two-faced.”

But Eileen Gu has openly responded to her critics. On social media, she told her followers: “Be the best version of yourself and make the world a better place. If your haters are in such a bad mood why not go out for a run?”

And now in 2026, Gu once again made China proud, showing that her talent, determination, and loyalty continue to inspire millions worldwide.