On February 19, 2026, Eileen Gu competed in women's freeski halfpipe qualifying at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Livigno, Italy. She clipped the halfpipe lip on her third trick during her first run, losing a ski and sliding to the bottom. Under elimination pressure, her second run scored 86.50, placing her fifth among 12 qualifiers advancing to Saturday's final. British skier Zoe Atkin led qualifying with 91.50. Canadian Cassie Sharpe, a former gold medalist, qualified third but suffered a serious crash on her second run and was taken off on a stretcher wearing a neck brace, though she was conscious and waved to the crowd.
Gu has previously won two silver medals at these Games in slopestyle and big air, making her the most decorated female freestyle skier in Olympic history with five total medals. She came to these Games seeking gold in all three events after winning two golds and a silver at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
After qualifying, Gu addressed political criticism she has received in the US. VP JD Vance said in a Fox News interview he hoped athletes who grew up in America would 'want to compete with the United States.' Gu responded playfully, saying she was 'flattered,' and described feeling like a 'punching bag' for certain political actors. She stated that criticism is disproportionate because critics 'lump China into a monolithic entity' and also because she wins. She also disclosed she was physically assaulted on Stanford's campus the previous year.
Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom called her a 'traitor' on social media. When asked by Time magazine about China's human rights record, Gu said she was not an expert and did not consider it her business to comment. A Beijing government budget document had previously revealed Gu and another athlete received approximately $14 million combined over three years.
