Eileen Gu wins silver medal in huge air at 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics

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Eileen Gu, the controversial huge air snowboarding star who competes for China regardless of being American-born, was unable to defend her gold medal on Monday evening on the 2026 Milan Cortina Video games.

Gu got here away with the silver medal within the ladies’s freeski huge air competitors, whereas Canada’s Megan Oldham received gold.

Gu notched a 90.00 on her first run, which was tied on the checklist of opponents for third place, as Oldham and Austria’s Lara Wolf had higher scores.

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Gold medalist Megan Oldham of Workforce Canada, Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of Workforce Folks’s Republic of China and Bronze medalist Flora Tabanelli of Workforce Italy pose for a photograph through the medal ceremony for the Ladies's Freeski Massive Air on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic video games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 16, 2026 in Livigno, Italy. (Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures)

However Gu’s mistake was on the second run, the place she wasn’t in a position to seize the tail of her ski cleanly and her touchdown was shaky, resulting in a 61.25 rating.

At that time, Gu was out of a medal spot with one run remaining. On this competitors, the highest two scores are mixed for every skier.

On the ultimate run, Gu managed to attain an 89.00, which gave her a 179.00 last tally. That was sufficient for second place, however Oldham had a slight, 1.75-point benefit over Gu ultimately.

CONTROVERSIAL OLYMPIAN EILEEN GU UPSET OVER ‘REALLY UNFAIR’ WINTER GAMES SCHEDULE

Italy's Flora Tabanelli completed with bronze within the occasion.

Gu wasn’t upset on the consequence, although, declaring that she’s received 5 Olympic medals in her two appearances on the Video games. Her first was in Beijing in 2022, the place she took house gold in huge air and halfpipe, whereas profitable silver in Slopestyle.

On this yr’s Video games, Gu secured a silver medal in Slopestyle, with halfpipe the remaining occasion for her later this week.

"‘5-time Olympic medalist’ type of has a pleasant ring to it," Gu advised reporters after the occasion.

Earlier than this medal occasion, Gu known as out the Worldwide Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) over how tight the Olympic schedule has been for her, saying it prevents her from getting correct coaching classes she wants for a freeski occasion.

Gold medalist Megan Oldham of Workforce Canada, Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of Workforce Folks’s Republic of China and Bronze medalist Flora Tabanelli of Workforce Italy pose for a victory selfie through the medal ceremony for the Ladies's Freeski Massive Air on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic video games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 16, 2026 in Livigno, Italy. (Patrick Smith/Getty Pictures)

Gu is the game’s solely three-event athlete, and he or she says competing on Monday evening makes it unimaginable for her to correctly put together for the qualifying spherical of the halfpipe last, which begins on Thursday.

"I’m disillusioned in FIS," she stated. "I believe the Olympics ought to epitomize aspiration, and I believe with the ability to do one thing that’s past the strange must be celebrated as a substitute of punished.

"I believe it’s actually unfair. I believe it’s punishing excellence, to be fully trustworthy with you. As a result of I dare to do three occasions, and that is making it fully unimaginable to coach pretty for the third occasion."

Gu grew to become a controversial determine in motion sports activities in 2019 when she made the choice to ski for China as a substitute of america within the upcoming 2022 Olympics. She grew up in California and went to Stanford, although her mom is a first-generation Chinese language immigrant within the U.S.

Gu stated on the time that it was an "extremely robust" determination, and People weren’t too keen on her determination given the geopolitical rigidity between the U.S. and China.

Silver medalist Ailing Eileen Gu of Workforce Folks's Republic of China appears to be like on through the medal ceremony for the Ladies's Freeski Massive Air on day ten of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic video games at Livigno Snow Park on Feb. 16, 2026 in Livigno, Italy. (Hannah Peters/Getty Pictures)

In the meantime, Gu was celebrated in China for her selection, however a large query nonetheless looms as she continues to be among the best within the sport.

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With China not permitting twin citizenship for its athletes, requiring Chinese language nationality for these competing, has Gu renounced her American citizenship? She has not answered the query.