Eileen Gu Wins 5th Olympic Medal After Learning New Trick

Eileen Gu's smile said everything as she realized she'd just made Olympic history with a silver medal she barely expected to win.

The freestyle skiing superstar hadn't competed in a single Big Air event since winning gold at Beijing 2022 four years ago. She spent those years battling two major injuries and watching from the sidelines while her competitors practiced the very tricks she'd need to defend her title.

Just days before the Milano Cortina 2026 competition, Gu faced reality: she needed to learn an entirely new trick to stay competitive. The left-side double cork 1260 became her crash course in Olympic preparation.

"I learned that left-side double cork 1260 in training for this contest, so I'm so happy I landed it under pressure," Gu told reporters after her silver medal finish on February 16.

Landing that trick under the bright lights of Olympic competition did more than secure a medal. It tied her with Canadian skier Mikael Kingsbury for the most Olympic medals in freestyle skiing history, with five total.

"Five-time Olympic medallist kind of has a ring to it, right?" Gu said with characteristic confidence.

The Bright Side

The road to this moment tested every ounce of Gu's legendary mental toughness. She fell during her first qualifying run, an uncharacteristic mistake that could have derailed everything. Then a surprise blizzard delayed the final by over an hour, forcing athletes to wait and wonder.

But Gu's instincts sharpen when things get tough. She bounced back in qualifying, then nailed her third run in the final to leap into second place behind Canada's Megan Oldham.

The timing couldn't have been sweeter. Chinese New Year fell on the same day as her silver medal performance, and the crowd of Chinese fans erupted when her score flashed on the board.

"What a way to celebrate Chinese New Year!" Gu exclaimed.

The 22-year-old has little time to rest on her accomplishments. Her halfpipe title defense awaits, offering a shot at becoming a six-time Olympic medallist and further cementing her legacy as one of freestyle skiing's all-time greats.

For now, though, Gu is savoring the unexpected gift of a medal she earned through grit, quick learning, and the kind of pressure performance that defines Olympic legends.