Eileen Gu, the freestyle skiing star known in China by the nickname “Snow Princess,” is celebrating her 23rd birthday after another record-setting year that added to her Olympic legacy.
Gu, also known by her Chinese name Gu Ailing, has won three Olympic gold medals and three silver medals, making her the most decorated freestyle skier in Olympic history. Her latest Olympic campaign came at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Games, where she won gold in women’s halfpipe and silver medals in big air and slopestyle.
The three medals she earned in Italy added to the three medals she won at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Her Olympic record now includes a medal in each of the six individual events she has entered.
Eileen Gu at The 2026 ESPYS held at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Square on July 15, 2026 in New York, New York.Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Gu’s birthday comes at a major point in her career. At 23, she has already built a resume that includes Olympic titles, World Championship gold medals and recognition beyond skiing.
Gu first became a major Olympic name at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
At just 18 years old, she won gold in women’s big air and women’s halfpipe, along with a silver medal in slopestyle. The results made her the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Winter Olympics.
Four years later, Gu returned to the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina and again reached the podium in all three women’s freestyle skiing events.
She successfully defended her halfpipe title by posting a top score of 94.75 in the final. China’s Li Fanghui finished second with 93.00, while Great Britain’s Zoe Atkin took bronze with 92.50.
Gu was born on Sept. 3, 2003, in San Francisco, California. She was raised by her Chinese mother, Yan Gu, and spent her childhood between California and Beijing.
She started skiing in Lake Tahoe at age three. At eight, she joined the Northstar California Resort free-ski team, and by nine, she had won her first national championship.
Gu initially competed for the United States before changing her sporting affiliation to China in 2019. She later represented China at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
When she announced the change, Gu said she hoped skiing could help her “inspire millions of young people” in China and help bring people and nations closer together.
Her connection with China made her hugely popular there. She became known on Chinese social media as the “Snow Princess,” according to BBC.
Gu has also spoken openly about her connection to both countries.
In a 2020 ESPN interview, she said: “Since I was little, I’ve always said when I’m in the U.S., I’m American, but when I’m in China, I’m Chinese.”
Her dual cultural identity has remained a major part of the public discussion around her career, especially because she was born and raised in the United States but competes for China.
Gu’s success has not come only from physical training. She has also talked about the mental approach she uses when preparing for major competitions.
In a recent appearance on Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast, per Business Insider, Gu explained the difference between how she approaches training and competition.
“I train like I’ve never won, and I compete like I’ve never lost,” she said.
Gu explained that the mindset helps her remain hungry even after winning major events.
“The second thing is it keeps you hungry, and that’s what allows you to perform over time,” Gu said.
She also described competition as a time when she completely changes her mindset.
“And I’m like, ‘I am the best person who has ever stepped foot here. Nobody’s even going to touch me. Everyone’s competing for second,’” Gu said.
She called this her competition alter ego and said separating that mindset from her training mindset helps protect her from becoming overly confident.
Away from competition, Gu has also stressed the importance of sleep and recovery. She said she has slept for about 10 hours every night since childhood.
“My secret weapon is that since childhood, I have every night had 10 hours of sleep. That’s how I grew up,” she said.
She has also said that competing in three events can be emotionally tiring because of the highs and lows that come with competition.
For her 23rd birthday, Gu’s career already includes achievements that many athletes spend an entire lifetime trying to reach.
Related: Olympic Star Eileen Gu Stuns With Lingerie-Style Outfit
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