With Competitions on Winter’s Biggest Stage Nearing, the Freeski Star Discusses Pressure, Education, and Why Staying Curious and Playful Matters at the Elite Level.
At just 22, Eileen Gu occupies a rare space in modern sport. A double Olympic gold medallist, World Cup winner and global cultural figure, Gu balances elite freeskiing with academic life at Stanford University, fashion commitments, and advocacy for greater female participation in sport.As she explains, that balance is not a distraction from performance, but a competitive advantage. Gu approaches high-pressure competition with the same analytical clarity she applies to studying quantum physics or psychology, using visualisation and mental reframing to stay present when it matters most. The results speak clearly.After becoming the youngest Olympic freestyle skiing champion at 18 in Beijing and making history by winning medals in all three freeski disciplines – big air, halfpipe, and slopestyle – Gu has continued to lead across big air and halfpipe. Her current campaign opened with her 20th career FIS Freeski World Cup victory at the LAAX Open, underlining her consistency at the highest level. Now, with major competitions ahead on the international stage in Italy, Gu remains focused less on outcomes and more on process.
Eileen Gu’s Performance Mindset, ExplainedReframing Pressure – Nervousness and excitement trigger the same neuro-processes; performance depends on interpretation.Visualisation – Academic training supports spatial awareness, physics comprehension, and trick execution.Balance – Education and sport reinforce each other rather than compete.Play First – Enjoyment remains central, even at the highest competitive level.
The InterviewWhat does it mean to you to compete in Italy?Eileen Gu: It’s a really special opportunity, not just because of the platform that the event itself provides, but also the opportunity to share it with so many athletes from other sports is really what the sporting spirit is about. It’s about sportsmanship and sharing these moments of glory with other competitors who understand exactly what you’re going through. It’s a deeply bonding experience.
What’s the best advice a coach has ever given you?Eileen Gu: My high school cross-country coach, Corin, told me about the theory of appraisal. It’s a psych theory that shows that the neuro-processes that you go through when you’re nervous are actually the exact same ones that occur when you’re excited. Your brain decides if it’s a positive or a negative value. When I used to feel really nervous, she would say, ‘You’re not nervous, you’re just excited’. That’s really translated to any high-pressure situation I’ve ever been in since then.
What role does education play in your life?Eileen Gu: What’s really important to me is the notion of balance. I never sacrificed my education. I think that it’s worked to my advantage, massively so, when it comes to conceptualising tricks. The way that I visualise and understand the physics of a trick, the way that I can break down psychology and even understand myself.Learning to learn is the most important thing that an individual can do in life. Particularly when it comes to action sports, realising the importance that school can play in your sport is a message I hope to spread.
What’s really important to young athletes who are just starting out?Eileen Gu: To not be afraid to try. This is especially true of girls aged between the ages of 11 and 14, when you see numbers of female participation in sports drop around middle school. A big part of this is the sense that sport no longer belongs to you, that society or social expectations take away the fun. Suddenly, there’s this pressure, ‘What if I mess up? What if I look stupid? What if I’m the only girl there?’I would suggest taking up a new sport with your friends and doing it together. There’s no reason that any sport needs to be super serious. Honestly, just going out and having fun is literally the entire point.
Key Data
Athlete: Eileen Gu (China), freeski big air & halfpipeAge: 22 (3 September, 2003)Olympic Record: 2× gold (big air, halfpipe), 1× silver (slopestyle)World Cup Wins: 20 career victoriesEducation: Undergraduate student at Stanford UniversityCurrent Focus: Big air and halfpipe competitions in Italy
Why It MattersGu’s perspective challenges the assumption that elite performance requires singular focus at the expense of broader development. By integrating education, psychological literacy, and play, she represents a holistic model for high-performance sport – one that prioritises longevity, self-understanding, and inclusion alongside results.
About the AthleteEileen Gu is a Red Bull athlete competing in freestyle skiing, specialising in big air and halfpipe. Born in San Francisco in 2003 to an American father and a Chinese mother, Gu began skiing at the age of three and progressed rapidly through the ranks, entering senior competition at just 13, and earning her first FIS Freeski World Cup victory at 15. Her career includes multiple World Cup wins, X Games and Olympic medals, an undefeated Halfpipe season that delivered a FIS crystal globe. Alongside her sporting career, Gu fast-tracked her education by graduating high school early before enrolling at Stanford University, while also balancing modelling and other off-snow commitments that reflect her broad cultural reach beyond competition.
Learn MoreMeet Eileen Gu, the Chinese-American freeski prodigy rewriting historyDiscover who are freeskiing’s female power playersWatch on Red Bull TV: Eileen Gu in Winter Heroes, following her preparation for the season’s defining moments
Keywords for DiscoveryEileen Gu, Red Bull athlete Eileen Gu, Winter Heroes, freestyle skiing, freeski, big air, halfpipe, freestyle skiing champion, FIS Freeski World Cup, elite athlete mindset, mental preparation in sport, balance in elite sport, learning and performance, women in sport, women in freeskiing, female winter sport athletes, behind-the-scenes athlete documentary
Media ContactRed Bull Content Pool News
[email protected]
https://www.redbullcontentpool.com
