History of Eileen Gu in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 16, 2026

Eileen Gu is a world-class freestyle skier and model who gained international fame for her exceptional performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Representing China, she made history by becoming the first freestyle skier to win three medals at a single Winter Olympics, securing gold in the big air and halfpipe events, and silver in slopestyle. Beyond her athletic prowess, Gu is highly regarded for her academic achievements and her career as a fashion model and brand ambassador for luxury houses. Born in San Francisco to a Chinese mother and American father, she has navigated a complex cultural identity, often serving as a bridge between the East and West. Her multifaceted career, blending high-stakes professional sports with media influence and academic excellence, has established her as a prominent global cultural icon and one of the most recognizable figures in modern athletics.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2002: The death of Gu Ling

In 2002, Eileen Gu's maternal aunt, Gu Ling, passed away in a tragic car accident. This event later influenced Eileen Gu's mother to name her daughter Àilíng, meaning "Love Ling," to honor her sister's memory.

September 3, 2003: Birth of Eileen Feng Gu

Eileen Feng Gu, who would later become a celebrated freestyle skier and model, was born on September 3, 2003.

Others born on this day/year

2018: FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup participation

During 2018, Eileen Gu competed representing the United States at the 2018–19 FIS Freestyle Ski World Cup.

2018: Brad Prosser Joins Chinese National Team

In 2018, Brad Prosser, who had known Eileen Gu since she was ten years old, took on the role of technical coach guide for the Chinese national team in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

2018: Commencement of representing China

In 2018, specifically beginning with the 2018–19 season, Eileen Gu started representing China in competitive freestyle skiing events, including halfpipe, slopestyle, and big air.

June 2019: Change of national affiliation to China

In June 2019, Eileen Gu officially began competing for China after requesting a change of national affiliation with the International Ski Federation, an announcement she shared on Weibo and Instagram.

2019: Transition to Competing for China

In 2019, Eileen Gu made the significant career decision to begin competing internationally under the flag of China.

December 2020: Early Admission to Stanford University

In December 2020, Eileen Gu achieved a significant academic milestone by earning early admittance to Stanford University.

2020: Broadening of Chinese Residency Rules

In 2020, China's Ministry of Justice expanded its regulations for foreigners, permitting individuals who attained international acclaim in various sectors, including sports, science, and culture, to secure permanent residency status in China.

2021: World Cup Halfpipe Dominance and Crystal Globe Wins

During the 2021–22 World Cup season, Eileen Gu achieved a perfect record in women's halfpipe, earning her first career crystal globe and setting a record as the first freestyle skier to secure four consecutive World Cup victories. Additionally, in 2021, she secured a second crystal globe by finishing first overall in the park and pipe standings.

2021: Record-Breaking Endorsement Earnings

In 2021, Eileen Gu achieved significant financial success, earning more than US$30 million through various advertising contracts and brand endorsements.

2021: FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships Success

In 2021, Eileen Gu competed at the FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships, where she made history as the first freeskier to secure two gold medals in a single world championship event, specifically in Freeski Halfpipe and Freeski Slopestyle, while also earning a bronze in Freeski Big Air despite competing with a fractured finger and torn UCL in her thumb, which forced her to perform without poles.

2021: Triple Medal Win at the 2021 Winter X Games

In 2021, Eileen Gu made history at the Winter X Games by securing a bronze medal in Big Air and two gold medals in SuperPipe and Slopestyle. During this 2021 performance, she became the first rookie to win gold in the Women's Ski SuperPipe, the first rookie to earn medals in three distinct events, and the first athlete representing China to achieve a gold medal at the X Games.

2021: First woman to land a forward double cork 1440

In 2021, Eileen Gu made history by becoming the first female athlete to successfully land a forward double cork 1440 in a competitive setting.

2021: ESPN Identity Interview

In a 2021 interview with ESPN, Eileen Gu discussed her dual identity, explaining that she views herself as American when in the United States and Chinese when in China.

January 2022: Tess Ledeux's Double Cork 1620 Milestone

On January 21, 2022, at the X Games in Aspen, Colorado, Tess Ledeux became the first woman to successfully complete a double cork 1620 in competition, a feat that would later be replicated by Eileen Gu.

February 2022: Completion of Eileen Gu historical data tracking

As of February 2022, the historical documentation and records regarding Eileen Gu's professional and personal achievements have been updated and verified up to the 1st of February 2022.

May 2022: Conversion to Buddhism

In May 2022, Eileen Gu publicly shared that she had converted to the Buddhist faith.

2022: Triple Medal Success at the Beijing Winter Olympics

At the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing, 18-year-old Eileen Gu achieved historic status by becoming the youngest freestyle skiing Olympic champion. She secured gold medals in the big air and halfpipe events, along with a silver medal in slopestyle, making her the first freestyle skier to earn three medals at one Winter Olympics.

2022: Olympic Competition Goal

By 2022, Eileen Gu aimed to compete for China in the 2022 Winter Olympics, marking a major milestone in her athletic career.

2022: Increase in Endorsement Fees

During 2022, Gu's market value rose significantly, with her average fee per endorsement contract increasing to between $2 million and $2.5 million.

2022: South China Morning Post Interview

During a 2022 interview with the South China Morning Post, Gu reaffirmed her bicultural identity, stating that both her American upbringing and her fluency in Chinese language and culture allow her to fully identify with both nations.

2022: Beijing Winter Olympics Coaching Staff

During the 2022 Winter Olympics, Eileen Gu was supported by a specialized coaching team, including head coach of the Chinese National Slopestyle and Big Air Training Team Jamie Melton and her personal coach, former Swiss freeski team coach Misra Noto Torniainen, to prepare for her Olympic appearances in 2022.

2022: Eileen Gu's 2022 Winter Olympics Success and ESPY Awards

In 2022, Eileen Gu achieved significant athletic success by winning a silver medal in the slopestyle event and a gold medal in the women's freeski halfpipe competition, making her the first freestyle skier to secure three medals at a single Winter Olympics. Additionally, during the 2022 ESPY Awards, she was honored with the Best Breakthrough Athlete and Best Female Action Sports Athlete awards.

2022: Olympic Success at the 2022 Beijing Games

In 2022, Eileen Gu achieved significant success at the Beijing Winter Olympics, winning three medals. Combined with her performance in Milan-Cortina, this brought her total to six Olympic medals across six events, marking her as the most decorated freestyle skier in the history of the Olympic Games. Additionally, in 2022, she became only the second athlete ever to secure gold or silver in each of her first six individual Winter Olympic events.

2022: 2022 Winter Olympics Title Defense

In 2022, Eileen Gu established a halfpipe victory that she would later successfully defend during the 2026 Winter Olympics.

2022: Time 100 Most Influential People

In 2022, Eileen Gu was recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, specifically honored within the Pioneers category.

2022: Impact of 2022 Winter Olympics on Winter Sports Participation

In 2022, following Eileen Gu's competition in the Winter Olympics, the Chinese government estimated that over 300 million individuals began participating in ice and snow sports, highlighting a significant cultural shift and growth in athletic engagement.

2022: Widespread Brand Endorsements in China

Leading up to the 2022 Winter Olympics, Eileen Gu established herself as a prominent commercial figure, securing numerous high-profile brand partnerships across the sports, fashion, and banking sectors in China throughout 2022.

2022: Freshman Year and Debutante Presentation

Throughout 2022, Gu began her freshman year at Stanford University and also participated in the prestigious Le Bal des débutantes in Paris as a debutante.

2023: Second-Highest Paid Female Athlete Ranking

Forbes recognized Eileen Gu in 2023 by naming her the second-highest paid female athlete in the world.

2023: Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year Win

In 2023, Eileen Gu achieved a significant career milestone by winning the Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award, recognizing her excellence and impact in action sports.

2023: Withdrawal from 2023 Winter X Games

In 2023, Eileen Gu was forced to withdraw from the Winter X Games after suffering a knee injury resulting from a significant crash during a training session.

2024: 2024 Winter X Games SuperPipe Victory

In 2024, Eileen Gu secured a gold medal in the SuperPipe event at the Winter X Games, notably overcoming a right hip injury sustained during Slopestyle training. To maintain her focus, she wrote "Pain is Temporary" on her hand for the cameras and withdrew from the Slopestyle competition to manage her injury.

2024: Third-Highest Paid Female Athlete Ranking

In 2024, Gu maintained her standing among the world's top earners, ranking as the third-highest paid female athlete globally.

2025: Annual Earnings Performance

Based on her performance throughout 2025, Gu secured a total of US$23.1 million in earnings.

2025: Academic Hiatus for Olympic Training

During the 2025–26 academic year, Gu decided to take time off from her international relations studies at Stanford to focus on training for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

2025: Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau Budget Allocation Controversy

In early 2025, the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau faced controversy after releasing a budget document that allocated US$6.6 million for the training of Eileen Gu and Zhu Yi in preparation for the 2026 Milan games. Following the public release, the athletes' names were removed from the document and related articles were censored across various Chinese websites, while reports indicated a total of $14 million had been paid to the athletes by the bureau over the preceding three years.

2025: Fourth-Highest Earning Female Athlete

Throughout the year 2025, Eileen Gu achieved the status of the fourth-highest earning female athlete globally.

February 9, 2026: Featured in Time Magazine

On February 9, 2026, Eileen Gu was featured in the edition of Time magazine following her previous recognition on their influential people list.

February 2026: Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau Training Funding

As reported by The Wall Street Journal in February 2026, the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau planned to allocate $6.6 million in training funds to be shared between Eileen Gu and another athlete over a span of three years.

February 2026: Gold Medal Halfpipe Victory and Passport Scrutiny

On 22 February 2026, following her gold medal victory in the halfpipe, Eileen Gu addressed the ongoing public and media scrutiny regarding her passport status, attributing the criticism to geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China.

June 2026: Graduation from Stanford University

In June 2026, Eileen Gu successfully completed her studies and graduated from Stanford University.

2026: Co-hosting the Laureus World Sports Awards

During the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards, Eileen Gu made history by co-hosting the ceremony alongside Novak Djokovic, marking the first time the prestigious event was led by two professional athletes.

2026: Passing of Feng Guozhen during the 2026 Olympics

During the 2026 Olympics, Eileen Gu's grandmother, Feng Guozhen, passed away. Gu received the news shortly after securing a gold medal in the women's halfpipe, later sharing reflections on her grandmother's profound impact on her life and athletic journey during a press conference in 2026.

2026: 2026 Winter Olympics Success

During the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Eileen Gu achieved a historic milestone by winning a gold medal in the women's halfpipe event and securing silver medals in both big air and slopestyle, ultimately setting a new Olympic record for the most medals won in freestyle skiing by any competitor in 2026.

2026: Fourth-Highest Paid Female Athlete Ranking

Following her 2025 earnings, Eileen Gu was ranked as the fourth-highest paid female athlete in the world in 2026.

2026: Milan Games Preparation

The year 2026 marks the period of the upcoming Milan games, for which Eileen Gu and Zhu Yi received significant training funding from the Beijing Municipal Sports Bureau prior to the event's commencement in 2026.