Olympic Skier Eileen Gu Leads San Francisco's CNY Parade

Eileen Gu came full circle this weekend, leading the same San Francisco Chinese New Year parade she attended as a child with her family. The Olympic gold medalist served as grand marshal, waving to crowds in the city where she grew up watching the celebration with her mother and grandmother.

The 22-year-old freestyle skier told local media the honor felt especially meaningful because of those childhood memories. She recalled her mother and grandmother cooking together in the kitchen, passing down traditions that connected her to her heritage.

Gu shared that her biggest goal has always been making the greatest positive impact on the global stage. Right now, that takes the form of sports, fashion, and education, she explained.

The athlete recently reflected on her journey through skiing, from giving her first speech on women in sports at age 11 to competing at the Olympics. She wrote about being the only girl on her ski team and how sport became a universal language that built friendships.

At 15, Gu made the decision to compete internationally for China after one season with the US team. She expressed gratitude for that experience and maintains close relationships with those teammates.

The Ripple Effect

Gu's decision created opportunities she hadn't imagined as a young skier. She had spent summers in China since age 8, running ski camps for people ranging from 7 to 47 years old, watching a tiny industry slowly grow.

Now at 22, she can see the transformation she hoped to create. Terrain parks are filled with young girls who never doubt their place in the sport. Millions of girls in China and worldwide have started skiing since she made her choice.

Looking back, Gu stands by her decision as one that maximized her ability to introduce freestyle skiing to hundreds of millions of people who had never heard of it. Three Olympic golds and six total medals later, what started as a teenage dream became reality.

The parade appearance showed how Gu continues balancing her dual heritage, celebrating the culture that shaped her while inspiring the next generation of athletes around the world.